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Engaging Nonviolence – New 2025 Peace Programming

In 2024 Ignite Peace program directors, Bekky Baker and Samantha Searls, attended an 8-week Train-The-Trainer course with Pace e Bene, an international non-denominational organization fostering justice, peace, and the well-being of all through education, resources, and action for nonviolent change. Ignite Peace has worked with Pace e Bene and their Campaign Nonviolence project for many years.

Pace e Bene’s curriculum has reached over 30,000 peacebuilders throughout the world; and after experiencing it ourselves, we are excited to bring our adaptation to Greater Cincinnati. Utilizing the expertise and resources shared by Pace e Bene, we have created and are excited to offer our own Engaging Nonviolence program consisting of four unique sessions.

  1. Understanding Nonviolence: Unpacking Violence. This session begins with a discussion on the spectrum of violence and how people in society define violence differently. As a basic introduction to nonviolence, participants gain a working knowledge of the five dimensions of nonviolence and practice using the Two Hands of Nonviolence. To conclude, we discuss Dr. King’s vision of a Beloved Community and how nonviolence plays a part in achieving that vision.
  2. Conflict & Community: Using Nonviolence in Our Lives. This training explores a range of responses to conflict and violence. We’ll practice taking different perspectives, increase our empathic abilities, examine how emotions give us information about our needs, and practice de-escalating tense situations using the CLARA method and the 5D’s of Bystander Intervention. 
  3. Building a Culture of Nonviolence: Why We Need Nonviolence In Our World. This session explores some of the principles of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and will introduce a challenge to examine the idea of Constructive Programs and how we can build a nonviolent vision for the future. We will also embrace the Soul Force we all have inside of us to inspire action.
  4. Strategic Nonviolence in Movements for Change. The final session will be the latest evolution of the original Strategic Nonviolence for Peace Advocacy work we did a few years ago. The training will begin with by exploring power and the different types of power. Then we will learn about the history of nonviolence in social movements and dissect the four components of Strategic Nonviolence. 

We will be offering public in-person sessions beginning in January 2025, with more dates to be added later in the year. We will also offer private sessions for groups or communities who would like to go through the trainings together.

We strive to keep our programming accessible for all. Please email us (info@ignitepeace.org) for information about free or discounted tickets if price is a barrier.