Current Reports on S.P.A.N. Activity:
Season for Nonviolence 2012

"We have been exposed to violence in our neighborhoods and in the media and we cannot look to anyone else to resolve this matter but ourselves. This Sunday, Jean Carter Hill from Imagine Englewood If, Tio Hardiman from CeaseFire and Jennifer Kim from the Peace School will be our panelists as we discuss the state of our city.

Other community people engaged in policy, healing and justice who will be leading breakout sessions include Mark Walsh from the Illinois Campaign to End Gun Violence, Sarita Villarreal from Save Another Life Foundation and more.

The purpose of this event is for us to come together to create a loving environment, in which we can heal and an empowering energy from which we can create workable solutions toward peace for all concerned."

~Rev. Celeste Frazier, Power of Oneness Spiritual Center

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, Houston, TX, January 28, 2012

Continue Reading Here

2012 Program at the United Nations

Nipun Mehta, Anup Desai, and Ambassador Libran N. Cabactulan of the Philippines

Continue reading here

AGNT President Rev. Michael Beckwith speaks at
the United Nations for World Interfaith Harmony Week

(Watch Video Below)

A musical salute to the 15th Annual Season for Nonviolence aired on Unity Online Radio on January 27, 2012. The program PosiPalooza Music That Matters is hosted by Richard Mekdeci and features music of peace, nonviolence, justice and social action.

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Update from San Diego Center for Spiritual Living:

For 2012, because we understand that Peace Begins With Me, and that we must BE the change we wish to see, the San Diego Center for Spiritual Living is presenting a Health & Well-Being Series of seminars, talks and book-signings to support the body, mind, and spirit in peaceful alignment. Each event stands on its own as a valuable and enlightening experience, yet the wholeness of the project builds a conscious community of people that recognize that how we treat ourselves in mind, body, spirit is what empowers us to treat others with an authentic nonviolent presence.

As in years past, we focus on the Season for Nonviolence on the last Sunday of January. The members of San Diego Center for Spiritual Living recite the Congregational Pledge of Nonviolence committing to eliminating violence, one congregation at a time, starting with our own. Our Minister speaks about Marshall Rosenberg‚s work in nonviolent communications and we distribute one of his books to all present ˆ this year the book was Teaching Children Compassionately. We also have copies of the Congregational Pledge and a 64 Ways in 64 Days: Daily Commitments to Nonviolence brochure available and we encourage the congregation to post these items where they will see them each day as a reminder to remain in a consciousness of nonviolence throughout the season. We keep the brochures and the pledge on our information table throughout the Season for Nonviolence.

Every Sunday and Wednesday service, we include the appropriate affirmation for the day from the 64 Ways brochure in our announcements, and we have the congregation recite that affirmation together as part of the service. We have flyers about the Season for Nonviolence and images of Gandhi and Dr. King posted throughout our facility. We also include the appropriate affirmation in our Youth Ministry and discuss what it means in children's lives.

Thus far, San Diego Center for Spiritual Living has presented two events in our Health and Well-Being series and have five more on calendar including The Heart to Lead film and discussion scheduled for Feb. 19th.

Seaside Center for Spiritual Living Presents "Celebrating Peace"

Update from Lane Interfaith Alliance, Springfield Oregon

The opening ceremony for SNV hosted by Lane Interfaith Alliance was a growthful, energetic evening of sharing about peace from the inside out by Rev. Dan Bryant, information about Gandhian Nonviolence by Dr. Veena Howard, the personal pledge led by Rev. Stana Knez. Some very dynamic discussion groups rounded out the evening.

The event was mentioned in the Register Guard and the Eugene Weekly. Rev. Stana was interviewed on our local public radio station, KLCC.

Update from Rev. Karli Grace in Chicago

We have taken a social media approach to SNV this year. The "64" are being posted on FB, twitter, and in several relevant Care2 communities, along with personal email data bases. We have also invited locals to join us for the teleconferences; I am in the Chicago area, and the co-facilitator, Eric, is in the Sacramento area.

The format encourages reading the book and delving into the reflective questions, but we acknowledge that many won't do that for any number of given reasons. The intent is to attract as many as possible and limit objections (have to buy and read a book, sounds like a lot of work, physically show up). The class will allow for participants to attend as many sessions as they can, utilize the replays, and glean the depth of inquiry they are open to. Those who want to go deeper can pursue the resources provided. It is our hope that by creating a space for awareness, there will be a thirst for more.

We are pursuing notable panelists who might drop in for a short commentary segment, interview, or other type of participation. We are open to any suggestions any task force member might have for notable individuals doing this work who would be available for 5-10 minute segments, or possibly longer, for one of the sessions. We are also open to having bonus sessions with another speaker if Thursday evenings wouldn't work into their time schedules.

Facilitators will spend 20-30 minutes in prayer before each session to set the intent and move 'self' out of the way so that "Self" may fully express. Participants can be in listen only or chat mode.

Eric and I will be closely assessing how to improve upon this teleconference offering for future work, and program expansion. We had planned to have a website, but due to family health issues this hasn't been able to happen as yet. So, we have had to start at a more basic level for now.

We are looking forward to the journey... And are joining all of the Season for Nonviolence Family in creating a space for Peace! Peace be with you.

Update from Redondo Beach Center for Spiritual Living

The Redondo Beach Center for Spiritual Living is a dedicated Sanctuary of Peace.
Our mission is to create peace in our homes, our communities, and the world through the transformation of our personal and individual conscious from ego-centered to God-centered consciousness. After-all, peace really begins within.

The 64 days is part of our year-long commitment to peace and we are excited to present 4 free seminars from the wonderful book, "Great Peacemakers," by Ken Beller and Heather Chase.

In addition, each Sunday we have a youth or teen inspire us with a reading from the daily 64 practices.

We have other programs on the horizon, like our 11 Annual Peace Makers Gathering and Unity Breakfast in April, Peace Pole Sunday in May, and our Peace Makers Community Art Show in June.

We are honored to be a part of this growing and thriving global community for peace.

City of Beaverton, OR Proclamation!

The Peace NOW committee at the New Thought Center for Spiritual Living in Lake Oswego, requested that the City of Beaverton adopt the Season for Nonviolence proclamation. They graciously and cheerfully accepted it, added their own statement of support, and will read the proclamation at an upcoming city council meeting where we will say a few words about the season.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 12, 2012

CHRIST UNITY CHURCH, SACRAMENTO, CA

Join us as we celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and the beginning of the Season for Non-Violence with a special presentation of the Gandhi, King and Ikeda Exhibit for Non-Violence and Peace on January 14th 12 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and January 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Christ Unity Church – 9249 Folsom Boulevard, Sacramento, CA.

This FREE walking exhibit was created with the hope that by examining the lives of these great figures, viewers will find these lofty ideals and principles within the grasp of their own daily existence. For it is within the mundane realm of daily living that Mohandas K. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Daisaku Ikeda have sought to forge an existence filled with dignity, freedom and Happiness for all people.

A special program featuring the distinguished Dr. Lawrence Carter, Dean of the Martin Luther King, Jr Chapel at Morehouse College will also present “The Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award" to Reverend Michael Moran of the Spiritual Life Center at 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please join us for this extraordinary experience and kick-off for the Season for Non-Violence 2012, January 30-Apri 4 - a national 64-day educational, media, and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and our communities. Inspired by the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mohandas K. Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this international event honors their vision for an empowered, nonviolent world.

Update from SANCTUARY NYC

I thought you would be interested in hearing that SANCTUARY NYC has elected to organize our "liturgical year" around the AGNT Seasons. They provide a perfect focus for our efforts, and are so in sync with the values of the community. We have come up with a wonderful focus for our Season for Nonviolence- "Connecting the Global Family"- and will do three 21 day modules:

1.Youth- With a focus on "Cultivating Compassion

2. Adult- Three Modules: Nonviolent Teach- In
Conflict resolution/peacemaking
Integration of the Sacred

We have some great speakers in mind for this Module and will let you know when we have confirmation on who they will be.

3. Elders Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers- Film Showing, Personal appearance of Producer of film and some of the Grandmothers along with Two Native Elders and Youth Book End Program on Integrating Compassion

We will also be integrating the Season into our Feb Black History Month Program- which will also include special music events.

We are looking at hosting a Launch Day/ Kick Off on Jan 29th, where we will show the Video and give the Details for the larger community.

We are located at the historic West Park Presbyterian Church on 86th and Amsterdam in NYC, which is currently one of the temporary "homes" for some of the Occupy Wall Street folks and various other people who have followed them there.

Rev. Bob Brashear isa the Pastor of West Park, which has a great history of social justice witness, and I would hope that he and his congregation might want to work with us on some of these events.

We will be speaking with several public officials about issuing a Proclamation.
We will let you know about that when it happens too.

Stay tuned!
Some of our Team will plan to join you at the U.N. event on the 15th, and we are looking forward to a really great Season in NYC.

~Rev. Jane Galloway

Special Message from the M.K. Gandhi Institute

Dear Friends,

Violence is a loud voice calling for help. It impacts our health and welfare, our local economy, the environment, and more.

For the third year in Rochester, the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence is responding to that call by inviting local organizations, schools, businesses, groups and individuals to join the growing list of supporters of A Season for Nonviolence. The Season, launched at the United Nations in 1998, marks the sixty-four (64) calendar days between the anniversaries of the assassinations of Mohandas K. Gandhi on January 30 and that of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4.

Please help promote nonviolence in the greater Rochester community by becoming a sponsor of A Season for Nonviolence. Enclosed is a packet outlining options and benefits of being a sponsor. Your support can also be demonstrated by organizing a project or an event for the Season such as a community service project, a concert or art exhibit, an educational program or film series.

For the 2012 Season we are excited to announce the involvement of:
• Rochester’s Ad Council, committed to a community outreach campaign for the Season with the support of Jay Advertising;
• Rev. James Lawson, colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lecture Feb 19;
• A steering committee including the Center for Dispute Settlement, ArtPeace, RIT, Teen Empowerment, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Rochester Friends Meeting, University of Rochester, and the Center for Youth;
• 100 Rochester and Monroe County youth leaders to be trained in nonviolence principles and practices;
• Paul Chappell, a nationally recognized peace activist and West Point graduate;
• The Foundation Movement, youth empowerment trainers and hip hop artists;
• “Americans Who Tell the Truth” art exhibit featuring portraits of leaders who made a difference before they turned 30 years old.

Season for Nonviolence from M.K. Gandhi Institute on Vimeo.