The World Forum for Peace and Nonviolence

7^th to the 13^th of November, 2011

The World Forum for Peace and Nonviolence: A week of activities all around the world promoting peace and nonviolence. Events are taking place everywhere focusing on

forums to promote dialogue and interchange
cultural and artistic events to raise awareness and
a call for 11 seconds of reflection on the 11^th of November to gain inspiration and connect with the spirituality of treating others how we want to be treated.

Background

Despite yearning for a modern, fair and developed global civilization, millions of people all around the world still suffer from wars and other forms of violence, such as poverty and discrimination. In a world where money is the central value and the current decision-makers, from politicians to bankers, make enormous profits, it is obvious that they are not going to make any progress in making the world a more just place to live in. Blinded by the pursuit of money, they don’t care that a vast majority of the world’s population lives in terrible conditions and they do not even reflect on the possibility of a total destruction that may be caused by the use of nuclear weapons or the poisoning of the planet through nuclear accidents and pollution.

To make serious progress in nuclear abolition, cutting military expenditure and eradicating violence, a global consciousness must be raised that will push in all directions. People around the world experiencing the current crisis are beginning to realise the need to create a global social movement that will call for a change in the direction of the planet towards a world where human life will be the central value. World without Wars and Violence is an international organisation that reflects this need and aspires to put in motion such a global social movement.

We have seen from recent events in North Africa that nonviolent revolution is possible and that changes are not gradual, they are revolutionary—virtually they happen from one day to the next.

World without Wars and Violence rejects the justification of violence as the supposed “nature” of mankind. The evolution of mankind is driven by human intentionality which means that we are able to change our own “nature” and we have already proven that it is possible. We have taken many steps from our violent prehistory – we rejected cannibalism, slavery and medieval torture. Let’s take another step in the path of human evolution towards a new world where wars and all other kinds of violence will be considered obsolete.

The only valid way to create such a nonviolent world is by nonviolent means. Inspired by Gandhi, M. L. King and Silo, whose philosophy of Universalist Humanism gave birth to the organisation, World without Wars and Violence builds on years of experience in the field of nonviolence and pacifism and puts in motion projects and initiatives aiming in three main directions: the creation of cultural and artistic events for peace and nonviolence, the promotion of dialogue between individuals and collectives who desire a world without wars and violence and the developing of our spiritual world based on the principle of treating others how you would like to be treated.

In 2009, World without Wars and Violence did the World March for Peace and Nonviolence –the first March ever to circle the globe aiming to create awareness for peace and nonviolence and calling for nuclear disarmament, the withdrawal of occupying troops, proportional and progressive disarmament of conventional weapons, the signing of non-aggression treaties between countries and the renunciation of war as a way of resolving conflicts. During three months the March crossed nearly 100 countries, from New Zealand to Argentina. More than 3000 groups and associations from around the world joined this historical initiative and organised more than 1000 activities of all kinds (cultural, educational, artistic, sport...) attended by millions of people. The March received thousands of endorsements by various institutions and well-known people such as intellectuals, artists, sportsmen and women, spiritual leaders, politicians and heads of states. www.theworldmarch.org

The next step is to build on the World March and launch a regular event which will take place simultaneously, in one week, in hundreds of places around the world. The first polycentric World Forum for Peace and Nonviolence will be held from the 7^th to the 13^th of November 2011 with three main objectives:

To create conditions for dialogue between individuals, organisations and collectives concerning different topics such as education, health, different forms of violence, etc., promoting cooperation based on the methodology of nonviolence.
To organise cultural and artistic events of all kinds contributing to the growing of a global awareness for peace and nonviolence.
A worldwide spiritual call to reflect on peace and nonviolence both at a personal and social level on 11/11/11 for 11 seconds. The idea behind this initiative is that great steps in human history (going to the Moon, flying, ending slavery, etc.) took less than 11 seconds to imagine. The power that lies in such moments of inspiration is very strong and we should not underestimate it, but rather strengthen it both in our personal lives and in the social field.

In some places the World Forum can last the whole week or a few days, while in some places it may just be one day. A common day –a coordination point for all involved groups – is Friday 11/11/2011.

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Last update: 18^nd May 2011