Picture of Stephanie Velianis Peace Brigades by Stephanie- Tuesday, 4 September 2012, 05:57 PM

Hey! So ive created a new discussion link here for my case study so Catherine and I dont get confused!

I actually first heard about Peace Brigades International in Tom’s class ‘Peace and Change’ in my undergraduate degree. Peace Brigades International or PBI is an international NGO that has been promoting nonviolence and protecting human rights since 1981. Their vision is for a world ‘in which people address conflicts non-violently, where human rights are universally upheld and social justice and intercultural respect have become realities’.

The ways that PBI achieve their objectives include protective accompaniment as well peace education and peace building. Protective accompaniment is quite interesting, where PBI volunteers protect local human rights defenders and communities who may find their lives in danger by accompanying them and providing an international presence which means there is a less likely chance of violence be used against them. I think this is a great way to help people create change, not by doing it for them but by just being there, supporting and empowering them in their work.

This is the link for their website http://www.peacebrigades.org/?L=0

If anyone knows of any other organisation/group that follows this philosophy please let me know or if you have any ideas/suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to hearing what others are doing!