A City Resolves to Build a Culture of Peace

Edited by Janet Chisholm

What is our vision for future peace and justice movements in this country? Will they be successful if they remain as small as they are today? In his acclaimed new book, Doing Democracy, Bill Moyer warns that social movements will be "self-destructive to the extent that they are defined as rebellious, on the fringes of society, and in opposition to the society's cherished core social values, symbols, rituals, beliefs, and principles." He offers advice based on forty years of analyses, organizing, consulting, and participation in social movements. The central task of all social movements, he writes, is " ...to win the hearts, minds and support of the majority of the populace. Because it is the people who ultimately hold the power, they will either preserve the status quo or create change." Building a majority movement, according to Moyer, means from the beginning we must empower people to exercise their collective power. And we must ally with activists who play different, yet critical, roles if a social movement is to progress through all developmental stages successfully.

Judith Stoutland and other citizens of Northfield, Minnesota are helping to lay the groundwork for a nonviolent people's movement in their own community. Their focus is on increasing awareness and understanding of active nonviolence, starting with constructive nonviolence, or the building of a culture of peace. On May 20, 2002, their organizing of various local groups and individuals led to a City Council resolution supporting the Nobel Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World. The city resolved " ...to make it a priority to teach and practice nonviolence, making use of resources from the community and organizations associated with observing the Decade." Now there is an identified core group that can collaborate, and there are agreed guidelines for affirming and fostering local initiatives when the inevitable controversies, conflicts, and struggles for justice arise.

I asked Judith what led her to work for a resolution. She said, "The City of Northfield signed on to the UN Manifesto for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence in 2000. I became aware that the Manifesto related to only the one year of preparation prior to the Decade. Feeling we were already behind (this is Year Two of the Decade), we wanted to move as quickly as possible to get things going. Also, annual planning sessions for many groups in the city were coming up soon, so we wanted to get on their agenda.

"I was eager to have as many people as possible involved. We had an overwhelming response, with signatures of support representing twenty-six groups and seventy individuals. I was especially pleased that the Superintendent of Schools signed on, that the regional Girl Scout Council and the Boy Scout Council joined, and also a 4-H group. These groups work directly with young people over long periods of time, so I think the youth will be involved in many ways. Other supporters included the League of Women Voters, St. Olaf College, the Family Education Center, the Special Olympics, the Domestic Abuse Prevention Program, and several faith communities."

Though Northfield civil society was enthusiastic, the press was less so. "The resolution got no coverage in the news for a week," Judith admitted. "All the space allotted to City Council activity was taken up with other issues. Finally, the paper published a letter I sent in to thank the Council and to alert the community to the resolution. But we will get the resolution published, and put it and the Decade logo up on the city's web page."

What happens next? "We are spreading the message," Judith declared, "in a 'yeast' kind of way. We feel many appropriate, constructive nonviolent actions are already in motion and support the Decade. Therefore our intent is to encourage this work and to keep up with what is going on. We will encourage groups that endorse the Decade resolution to highlight it on their web pages and to use the logo on stationery and newsletters. There will be lots of stickers, pens, and pencils with slogans like "Peace is in Our Hands." I'm preparing a binder full of reference materials for our town library. And we hope to establish an e-mail network where people can explore possible actions and activities and see what others are doing. We will have a presence at the Youth Activities Fair with materials especially designed to raise awareness and items for them to take home as reminders. My own church, St. John's Lutheran, will continue to develop its Decade work. It will be important for us to keep in touch with those who signed the petition for the Resolution to see what they are planning and to coordinate with them. I hope we have begun to create a group (however loosely organized) that will hold steady and firm, working together in the future. We will be developing other ways to keep the Decade "visible" and increase the understanding and commitment to nonviolent action. 

Let us know if your city passes a Decade resolution, too. Contact FOR if you would like some help. More information on the Decade is available on these web sites: www.ci.northfield.mn.us, www.unesco.org/cp, www.nobelweb.org, and www.forusa.org