“We Have to Construct a Taboo Around Killing”: Antanas Mockus On Colombia's Peace Process

The Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies provides a "blueprint" for peaceful and democratic revolution, busting myths about the process of nonviolent revolt and helping dissidents in countries around the world to accomplish political goals, such as fighting corruption or protecting the environment.

Paris has implemented the world's largest participatory budgeting program, allowing any resident aged 7 and older to propose and vote on city projects funded by municipal money. Since 2014, the city has allocated 5% of its total budget and has implemented 1,345 citizen-proposed projects over the past 10 years, including rooftop farms, community centers, and infrastructure for homeless residents. In addition, research shows areas with participatory budgeting see greater trust in local leadership and higher rates of civic engagement.

Finland’s approach to national security focuses on creating a comprehensive culture, emphasizing the idea that defending the country is a shared responsibility. Regular citizens can take volunteer courses in everything from using firearms and recognizing disinformation to surviving in the wild and interpreting maps, and the country’s men are conscripted at 18 for military or community service.

After decentralized protests in Sudan successfully ousted a 30-year dictatorship, nonviolent civic action in the country continues to grow, with highly localized demonstrations calling for everything from greater security against cattle theft to the resignation of corrupt public officials. The protests have been fueled by better exposure via social media, more collaboration among activist groups, and the proliferation of neighborhood-level "resistance committees" that grew out of the movement to topple the dictatorship in 2018 and 2019.

While many politicians use political polarization to their advantage, communities across the world are finding that talking through the divide can actually have an impact on how someone votes. Polls conducted before and after community dialogue sessions show that perspectives of many of those participating changed, and in Ireland, many think this strategy is what resulted in the legalization of abortion.

Colombia’s 2016 peace accord has a chapter on gender and sections specifically responsive to women’s needs, such as an affirmation of women’s right to own land and the establishment of a special unit to investigate conflict-related sexual violence. These provisions, a result of trailblazing inclusion of women and LGBTQ groups in the peace process, break new ground in recognizing the gendered impacts of armed conflict.

Civity brings people together for trust-building workshops that are built around storytelling, with the goal of helping people from different backgrounds find common ground with others in their communities. One study found the organization’s approach to be more effective than other strategies designed to build trust and address political discord.

Vietnam's Mekong Delta has invested heavily in large-scale infrastructure projects like sluice gates and irrigation schemes to prevent seawater intrusion and drought impacts, yet recurring mechanical failures, poor implementation, and unintended ecological consequences have rendered these interventions ineffective. Instead of protecting local agriculture, these flawed solutions have increased farmers' debts, prolonged environmental harm, and undermined community resilience.

The Justice for Magdalenes Research organization is working to spread awareness and gain justice for the survivors of Magdalene laundries in Ireland throughout the 1900s. Women and girls were sent to laundries, kept there against their will, forced to work without pay, and severely mistreated.

To spark civil discussions about divisive topics, Dinner and a Fight gatherings use the five-chair method, in which participants choose a chair that represents how much they agree with a statement made on a particular issue. The occupants of the chairs then give short "opening statements" on their opinion to kick off the dialogue. Attendees say the process has helped them better understand the perspectives of those they disagree with.