Nonviolent Solutions & Constructive Programs: Building the Future Together
Nonviolent solutions and constructive programs are "means that are ends in the making". There are hundreds of ways to stop, prevent, and end violence and systemic harm. From interrupting street fights to ending wars, these nonviolent solutions are everywhere. They include restorative justice, community safety initiatives, conflict resolution in schools, living wages, universal basic income, affordable housing, debt abolition, reparations, renewable energy, nonviolent struggle, civilian-based defense, and so much more.
While some require large institutions to take action, many are accessible by people in their daily lives. Active bystander trainings teach people to intervene in harassment and bullying. Conflict resolution skills give everyone the ability to resolve disputes without violence. Economic solutions like mutual aid, savings circles, swap networks, little free fridges, and tool libraries put the power to transform poverty into our hands. Ecological efforts like native plants, rewilding, vegetarianism, local and small scale solar, composting, ride shares, and more offer ways for people to protect the earth. Each of these, practices by thousands or millions of people, becomes a form of Gandhian constructive program that can help social movements succeed at challenging the violence, harm, and destruction in our world.
Rivera Sun will introduce nonviolent solutions and facilitate a discussion on the connections between these efforts and constructive program. Rivera is the program coordinator for Pace e Bene, a 37-year-old nonviolence organization that has dubbed 2026 "The Year of Nonviolent Solutions".