Voices For Creative Nonviolence
Encyclopedia
Voices for Creative Nonviolence is an American
anti-war
group that advocates nonviolent
direct action
to stop war. As of 2006 they are organizing a series of actions in Washington, D.C.
that they call The Winter of Our Discontent. Kathy Kelly
, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is an internationally recognized coordinator for Voices.
Recently, the group sent two of its members to Damascus
, Syria
, for Arabic language
study. They were there for two months (as well as one month in Amman
, Jordan
), and were able to build relationships with some of the 500,000 to 1 million Iraq
i refugees living near Damascus.
The group kicked off the Walk for Justice, which started on June 6, 2006, in Springfield, Illinois
, and ended on July 5, 2006 in North Chicago, Illinois. A dozen walkers made the trek of 300 miles over 30 days to dialogue with others about their concerns about the war in Iraq. Stops included the state capitol building in Springfield
, Federal Correctional Institution, Pekin
, and the Caterpillar headquarters in Peoria, Illinois
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
group that advocates nonviolent
Nonviolence
Nonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...
direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
to stop war. As of 2006 they are organizing a series of actions in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
that they call The Winter of Our Discontent. Kathy Kelly
Kathy Kelly
Kathy Kelly is an American peace activist, pacifist and author, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, one of the founding members of Voices in the Wilderness, and currently a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. She has been described as "probably the most respected leader in the...
, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is an internationally recognized coordinator for Voices.
Recently, the group sent two of its members to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, for Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
study. They were there for two months (as well as one month in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
), and were able to build relationships with some of the 500,000 to 1 million Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i refugees living near Damascus.
The group kicked off the Walk for Justice, which started on June 6, 2006, in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, and ended on July 5, 2006 in North Chicago, Illinois. A dozen walkers made the trek of 300 miles over 30 days to dialogue with others about their concerns about the war in Iraq. Stops included the state capitol building in Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, Federal Correctional Institution, Pekin
Federal Correctional Institution, Pekin
Federal Correctional Institution, Pekin is medium security federal prison for males. It is located on Illinois Route 29 on the south edge of Pekin, Illinois, and there an adjacent satellite prison camp for minimum security female inmates....
, and the Caterpillar headquarters in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
.