Season for Nonviolence

January 30 through April 4 marks the 64-day 2005 Season for Nonviolence (SNV) -- an event founded to celebrate the visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Across the country, SNV task force leaders, peace and activist organizations, churches, schools and more will coordinate activities to celebrate, teach and promote a vision of peace during the Season. The Season for Nonviolence marks the perfect opportunity for you to promote or share Nonviolent Communication in your area. NVC helps individuals "become the change they wish to see in the world" by giving them practical skills to affect lasting, peaceful change - one interaction at a time.

We've done several things to make your job of promoting NVC during the Season for Nonviolence a bit easier. Over the past six months, we've partnered with the Association for Global New Thought (AGNT) and the I AM Foundation to put NVC books/materials into the hands of over 1,000 New Thought and Unity Churches throughout the U.S. In addition, AGNT and the I AM Foundation will be featuring NVC in all Season for Nonviolence promotional materials. The official Season for Nonviolence website now lists several NVC-related activities individuals and groups can implement during the Season. In addition, NVC books were gifted to 300 SNV task force leaders around the world at the November 2004 task force leader symposium.

Please consider implementing one or more of the following NVC activities this Season. Your activity or event can help bolster local awareness of NVC, increase awareness about the benefits of nonviolence, and empower individuals with the skills they need to create peace each day. If you will be hosting Marshall Rosenberg in 2005, your activities can also provide important promotion for your upcoming event.

LEARN MORE about the Season for Nonviolence at www.agnt.org , click on Season For Nonviolence.

• Find a SNV task force leader in your area Task force members may be willing to work in partnership with you to coordinate NVC events and activities during the Season for Nonviolence. All task force members were provided a set of NVC books at the November 2004 task force leader symposium, sponsored by the Association of Global New Thought. FIND A LOCAL TASK FORCE LEADER
• Become a SNV task force leader. If your area does not already have a SNV task force leader, consider signing up to be the local contact at the SNV website. Individuals who want to get involved will contact you - in turn you can share what NVC activities you plan to coordinate. Sign up to be a local task force leader at www.agnt.org, click on SEASON FOR NONVIOLENCE.
• Train local SNV task force leaders and activists in NVC. Consider offering a training series specifically focused on teaching NVC to Season for Nonviolence task force leaders/volunteers, and local peace activists in your area (such as a basic NVC introduction and/or a training focused on NVC and Nonviolent Activism). FIND A LOCAL TASK FORCE LEADER
• Distribute our "5 things you can do today to change the world" postcards - Many people simply need to feel empowered to make a difference each day. Based on the principles of NVC, these postcards offer 5 simple things anyone can do to affect lasting, peaceful change each day. Download these postcards from the top right column of this page. Distribute the postcards to your local NVC community mailing list, at local Season for Nonviolence events, peace rallies, churches, schools, etc. Work in partnership with other organizations to distribute the postcards to their mailing lists as well.
• Host a local NVC workshop or workshop series - Help individuals "be the change they wish to see in the world" by hosting an introductory workshop in NVC some time during the season. Or, consider developing a weekly workshop series during the SNV that focuses on teaching basic to intermediate level NVC skills. Post your workshop offerings on the Season for Nonviolence event calendar and on other relevant SNV event calendars around your community (including those posted in local newspapers).
• Host a "Leaders of Nonviolence" event - Consider working with a local SNV task force leader and/or other organizations in your area to host a broader event that celebrates leaders of nonviolence in your community. Focus your celebration on Marshall Rosenberg or other local NVC leaders/trainers by showing a training video, and presenting key facts about the global NVC movement. If your team/group is hosting Marshall Rosenberg in 2005, be sure to promote your upcoming MR workshops at this event.
• Facilitate an NVC video viewing for local churches, peace groups, activists or others - Many New Thought churches, Unity churches, peace organizations, activist organizations and others develop peace-related discussion groups or trainings during the Season for Nonviolence. Connect with one or more of these organizations in your area and offer to facilitate a video viewing of Marshall Rosenberg's introduction to NVC (see the NVC bookstore at www.CNVC.org to purchase one of many NVC videos).
• Facilitate an NVC discussion course using Marshall Rosenberg's NVC: A Language of Life and Lucy Leu's Companion Workbook - Over 300 New Thought and Unity Churches have already received NVC books/materials through the I AM Foundation. Many New Thought churches, Unity churches, peace organizations, activist organizations and others develop peace-related discussion groups or trainings during the Season for Nonviolence. Connect with one or more of these organizations in your area and offer to facilitate an NVC discussion course.

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