Nonviolence, a style of politics for peace
“Since conditions that favour the outbreak of wars are once again increasing, I can only reiterate that war is the negation of all rights and a dramatic assault on the environment. If we want true integral human development for all, we must work tirelessly to avoid war between nations and peoples. To this end, there is a need to ensure the uncontested rule of law and tireless recourse to negotiation, mediation and arbitration, as proposed by the Charter of the United Nations.“
Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti
Pax Christi International has a long-term commitment to active nonviolence as a way of life as well as an effective political strategy. According to SIPRI, world military spending rose to almost $2 trillion in 2020. However, in his 2017 message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis emphasised the importance of a renewed culture of nonviolence to inform global politics today, stating unequivocally that military responses to conflict only breed more violence. Nonviolent approaches to conflict transformation and peacebuilding efforts by governments and international organisations have been shown to be effective—and yet they remain underfunded. Pax Christi International promotes nonviolent policy options to sustain peace and security at every level – from the local to the global.
New Publication
We are pleased to launch a new publication for policymakers (and all those who want to make nonviolence a matter of policy!). The short, illustrative and practical brochure illustrates how nonviolence at the policy level has been proven effective around the world. We brought together experts and stories from around our movement to highlight the importance of nonviolence for policymakers as well as how easy and cost-effective it can be.
Click below to download the publication in PDF format in English, French, Spanish, and Italian
A Policymaker’s Tool for Effective, Nonviolent Strategies for Sustainable Peace (PDF)
Webinar: Publication Launch
We celebrated the publication of our new guide for policymakers with an excellent online event. Take a moment to watch and discover some of the practical ways you can incorporate principles of nonviolence into advocacy and policymaking.