| 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. |
| Upcoming Events... On April 14th, 2010 in Ramallah, MEND will be hosting a conference on "Strengthening Nonviolence in Palestine" in partnership with Realizing the Dream, Inc. and the Center for Democracy and Community Development. The goals of the conference are the exchange of experiences and expertise to enrich the Palestinian nonviolence strategies. Bringing together the efforts of the Palestinian nonviolence movement, and strengthening nonviolence to end the occupation. Read more... 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. Read more... MEND Town Hall Style Discussion Project In October of 2009 MEND concluded its Town Hall discussion project which has been in progress since August 2008. Discussions were convened throughout the West Bank with the goals of promoting the positive values of nonviolence and human security in Palestinian society, and empowering hitherto marginalized sectors of society, especially youth and women. Read more... 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. |
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| 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. |
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