Peace Activism Campaign
Give Power to nonviolence!
Project duration: January-December 2026
What do we mean by nonviolence?
Nonviolence is the active practice and strategy of refusing to use physical, verbal or psychological harm to achieve ones objectives. Instead nonviolent dialogue, education and compassion are sought as alternatives pathways. The focus of nonviolence is therefore on forgiveness and compassion for and reconciliation with the opponent instead of engaging in hate practices. Nonviolence is a tool to political and social change and research has shown that nonviolent movements succeeded about twice as often as violent ones in the 20th century, with successful examples of nonviolent civil resistance for civil rights movement such as ending racial segregation or gaining voting rights.
Background
Over the past few years interest in volunteer camps has stalled, with numbers of participants in camps having significantly decreased. Trying to understand the “why” behind the phenomenon, the Peace Activism Campaign was designed as a tool to re-frame and re-affirm SCI’s identity as a peace movement and a peace organization, rooted in its anti militarist beginning. Through this campaign we wish to encourage volunteering in the long-run as a social and civil service.
The research that created the base of the campaign was carried out during the year 2024 and aimed to determine what Peace Activism meant for each of the branches in the SCI network as well as how it materialized for the movement. Each organisation had its own interpretation of nonviolence and Peace Activism, showing the variety of perspectives and work within our network. Through this information we created a common campaign, representing SCI’s view on Peace Activism all over the world.
While there are different variations of Peace and Peace Activism, the research showed that the entire network sees peace as prioritizing concrete actions over symbolic ones (Deeds not Words) and focusing on positive peace that is more than the absence of war, focusing towards active efforts to create a just and equitable society. The activities each of our branches is using to promote peace were also varied, ranging from educational activities such as workshops or toolkits; practical actions, like long-term volunteering and peace messengers, and including also advocacy actions such as lobbying or campaigning. In this context, volunteer camps that foster peace by bringing people from different countries and cultures together were particularly recognized as an important tool for peacebuilding.
Overall, the research supported the understanding that even though the number of volunteers in camps decreased, SCI should continue to create these camps as a central tool for peacebuilding. Following these conclusions, a framework was created for the global campaign that would allow all of our branches to introduce their peace activities in all the different shapes and forms that they are organized.
Activities
The Peace Activism Campaign aims to combine a variety of activities. It includes both internal and external events as well as activities that focus on different levels of peace ranging form internal peace, peace with others to peace with nature.
The activities fall under the following three categories:
Awareness raising activities
The activities
“Stop the War” Demonstration
Hosted by VIA Netherlands, the “Stop the War” demonstrations in Amsterdam take place every 24th of the month, bringing together people who want to speak out against the ongoing war in Ukraine and stand against all forms of armed conflict. Using nonviolent methods, these events combine protests, music, poetry, and public speaking to raise awareness and take a powerful stand against war, militarization, and nuclear weapons. The demonstrations are not only a symbol of active resistance, but also a celebration of peaceful activism and solidarity.
Engagement activities
The activities
Peacebuilding Training – March 13–15
Organized by SCI Belgium, this 3-day training invites 16 participants to develop essential skills in conflict management, nonviolent communication, emotional awareness, and the practice of pacifism in everyday life.
In today’s world, these skills are more important than ever, and applying them is a form of active resistance.
Advocacy activities
The activities
This project organized by SCI Catalunya will aim to change the political discourse for a more peaceful world by offering training sessions and workshops on nonviolence, creating a research working group on Arms Trade, Peace and Nonviolence, Militarism and Gender, coordinating and facilitating the Midicat activist group that promotes nonviolence and human rights in the MENA region, writing publications, research reports and communication campaigns and connecting with local organizations.
Funders
