Welcome to Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy

" The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to
destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it… Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not
murder hate… Returning violence for violence multiplies violence… Hate cannot drive out hate; only love
can do that."
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Mend was born because of the growing needs for proactive peace, alternatives to violence, and hope for
the future.
Recent Projects...

MEND Concludes Video Conferencing for Promotion of Active Nonviolence Project (January 2010)

In January of 2010 MEND concluded its video conferencing project for the promotion of active
nonviolence. Through a series of about 40 meetings, this project was able to successfully link youth
from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza despite the physical barriers imposed by the Israeli
occupation. In these meetings the MENDers (youth members of the Active Nonviolence Network) were
able to discuss the merits and relevance of nonviolent action in the context of the Palestinian national
struggle. Video conferences with participants from Gaza were limited due to the deteriorating security
situation resulting from conflict with Israel. During this time, movement within Gaza became more
dangerous and access to electricity and the internet increasingly unpredictable. Despite these challenges
the project was very successful in expanding the network of MENDers, which more than tripled in size as a
result of the project. In addition to the main goals of linking Palestinian youth and expanding the Active
Nonviolence Network, the project also cultivated links between MEND and other NGOs which were asked
to help publicize the project. The result has been many new potential partners for future MEND projects.

Recent Events...

Last weekend MEND Director Lucy Nusseibeh attended the MENAPPAC (Middle East and North Africa
Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict) conference in Beirut. The purpose of the meeting was to
expand the existing Arab Partnership for Conflict Prevention to include other countries and form a more
comprehensive regional network. MENAPPAC is part of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed
Conflict (GPPAC). Read more about MENDs involvement in MENAPPAC here.
Projects...

The Menders are a rapidly growing group of young Palestinians from all over the West Bank and Jerusalem who
work with a variety of...
Read More >

From July 23 – July 27th, seventy-eight young Palestinian boys and girls came together from all over the country for
an active nonviolence summer camp. The camp was held in the peaceful hilltop school, Talitha Kumi, which
overlooks Beit Jala and Bethlehem to the East and the hills of Hussan and Battir to the West. Most of the children
had hardly ever left their local..
Read More >

New! Mend Nonviolence Bulletin...

Mend has created a nonviolence bulletin listing the nonviolent activities being organized by NGOs in Jerusalem,
Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tul Karem, Qalqilya,  Jenin and Gaza. Though it includes many activities, the list is not
yet comprehensive.
The bulletin displays the growing Palestinian nonviolent movement in the Middle East.
To read this bulletin, click here.
PLEDGE OF NONVIOLENCE



Making peace must start within ourselves and in our families.
I pledge to commit myself as best I can to become nonviolent and peaceable
in every aspect of my life:


To Respect Myself and Others
To respect myself, to affirm others and to avoid uncaring criticism, hateful words, physical attacks and
self-destructive behavior.

To Communicate Better
To share my feelings honestly, to look for safe ways to express my anger, and to work at solving problems
peacefully.

To Listen
To listen carefully to one another, especially those who disagree with me, and to consider others’
feelings and needs rather than insist on having my own way.

To Forgive
To apologize and made amends when I hurt another, to forgive others,
and to keep from holding grudges.

To Respect Nature
To treat the environment and all living things with respect and care.

To Play Creatively
To avoid entertainment that makes violence look exciting, funny or acceptable.

To Be Courageous
To challenge violence in all its forms whenever I encounter it, whether at home, at school, at work, or in
the community, and to stand with others who are treated unfairly.


This is my pledge. These are my goals.
Check out our
new Nonviolence
Forum!