April, 2019

The project: “The Palestinian Consortium for Non-Violence: Towards A Regional Movement on Non-Violence” aims at promoting the principles, values, and practices of non-violence and fostering peace and tolerance in the Palestinian community.

The strategic objectives of the project are:

• To internalize the principles and core values of civil peace and non-violence within the Palestinian society in all governorates towards building a Palestinian strategy for civil peace to resolve conflicts and promote co-existence.
• To disseminate the culture and values of non-violence widely within the Palestinian society through community work, civil society, and media.
• To insert the non-violence concepts and culture on the discourse of the Palestinian society.
• To encourage non-violence and peaceful tools as the right means for conflict resolution and peacemaking.

This project comes as the second phase of the first endeavor implemented during 2017-2018. In the first phase, more focus was given to individuals (youths) and their interaction with civil society organizations. The second phase represents an attempt of institutionalizing the efforts by establishing the Palestinian Consortium for Non-Violence (PCN), to ensure a more sustainable and systematic work on civil peace and non-violence in Palestine.

Besides, Pal-Think will concentrate more on CBOs and collaboration among them and will give particular focus to outdoor community activities, and initiatives with people on the ground as it is more effective to foster engagement and inclusion for the public.

In June, the project will conduct a five-day orientation programme for two representatives from each CSO in the 30 civil society organizations that were selected (only in Gaza). Then, the selected civil society organizations in Gaza and the West Bank will start implementing their outdoor community initiatives. Also, laying the ground for setting up “The Palestinian Consortium for Non-violence: Towards A Regional Movement on Non-violence” which will include all the beneficiaries from current and previous projects (youths and CSOs).

Moreover, commissioning the preparation of 3 working policy papers on best practices in non-violence, these will be conducted by foreign researchers who will be documenting lessons learned and best practices from the experience of other countries that went through violence and conflict — for instance, South Africa, Croatia, and Northern Ireland. Later on, a seminar to present and discuss the three papers prepared by the researchers, which is crucial to disseminate and share ideas with the different stakeholders in the community where all decision-makers, civil society leaders, youths, women, and intellectuals come together to enrich the work and provide fruitful feedback that triggers effective and efficient actions of non-violence and civil peace in Palestine.

Having in mind that the project has already started the (PCN- Palestinian Consortium for Non-violence podcast consisting of 15 radio episodes) and airing about three episodes a month, all dedicated to ideas, understandings, principles, values, and concepts of non-violence & civil peace in the Palestinian society.

One more thing is that Pal-Think will be developing two categories of flyers (one for children and the other for adults) introducing principles, habits, and best practices of non-violence and civil peace. These flyers will serve as educational materials on non-violence and civil peace and will achieve a multiplier effect in changing people’s attitudes.

Last but not least, a booklet that involves the project’s accomplishments will be designed, and a closing ceremony will take place after the project’s actions are fully completed.