Featured — An Open Letter to Sisters and Brothers in Iran

...at a rally on June 17:

Translation:

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” -- Mahatma Gandhi

Dear Friends, We are a group of professors and students of nonviolence who work with nonviolent movements and we would like to extend to you our solidarity and encouragement for your struggle. Based on our experience, we would share the following thoughts with you at this critical juncture: Your cause is just. Despite the blackout, people all over the world are following your struggle and our hearts are with you. To have a just cause and courage are the two main requirements for a nonviolent movement, and you have both. What you have done already is to open up a bridge between the people of Iran and the people of America and many other parts of the world. Your protest has created an emotional bridge with people everywhere -- for who does not love freedom? -- and shown us in the West in particular that many, many Iranians are just like us, and not the hardliners our media have often portrayed you to be. This is a great achievement that has already changed history. "(Continue Reading 'An Open Letter to Sisters and Brothers in Iran')

Hope Tank — Hope Tank #11

Nonviolent stories with Nipun Mehta of Charity Focus and friends Pankaj and Chris of Tonic. What's the most inspiring thing that happened to you this week? :-)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Recorded April 10, 2009

Around the Movement — The Strength of Nonviolence

The coalition forming in Europe under the banner "The Strength of Nonviolence" is  comprised of a group of women and men who don’t want to remain passive in the face of blatant advocacy of violence by those in positions of power (totalitarianism of corporate capitalism) and  threaten the present and future of all. They believe that change is possible, but all the positive people must converge in common actions, maintaining the differences that enrich the whole. They write: "We have found inspiration in the great ideals and guides of nonviolence, examples that should be studied, expanded and put into practice. With this spirit in 2007 we have set in motion the campaign Europe for peace, for a Europe free from nuclear weapons and today we launch this on-line petition against the installation of a U.S. radar base in Czech Republic, a dangerous project that has already increased the international tensions and unleashed a new arms race." See the powerful short video they made during Barack Obama's recent visit to Prague.

Recent Announcements

Summer 2009 Metta Mentors Program: Preamble First, watch this one minute video about a certain kind of power.... What is this power? Some call it love in action; Kenneth Boulding, [...]

Bringing Forward Wisdom in Adolescence: Bringing Forward Wisdom in Adolescence: A forum for parents, educators, and faith leaders Saturday, 21 Feb 2009, 10 am - 1 pm 1 Fort Mason (at Fr[...]

"Amma" Krishnammal Jagannathan at The Metta Center: Krishnammal Jagannathan, known as  "Amma" ("Mom") spent some days with Gandhi and sang songs at his independence protests. After marriage, she joined[...]

La'Onf video subtitles complete: Metta is very pleased to have made a training video for our courageous friends at LaOnf, the network that is attempting to bring nonviolence to Iraq. [...]

"Search For a NV Future" translated into Korean! and New Metta Center Brochure: Metta Center founder Michael Nagler's prize-winning book, The Search for a Nonviolent Future, has recently been spotted on a Korean publisher's websit[...]