Engaging With Nonviolence

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Aim: 2 Time: 3 Participants: 4 Materials: 5 Procedure: 6 Source:

Aim:

To explore violent and peaceful attitudes in participants’ everyday experiences

Time:

60-90 minutes

Participants:

At least four participants

Materials:

• Paper and pencils

• Flip charts and markers

Procedure:

I) Divide the plenary into four sub-groups.

II) Assign the tasks: two sub-groups have to prepare a case in which there are violent attitudes in settings such as the family, school, or community. The other two sub-groups have to prepare a case in which there are peaceful attitudes in the family, school, or community. Allow sufficient time.

III) Ask each team to swap their case with one from another team.

IV) Allow sufficient time for each team to read the cases. Then ask each team to prepare a play based on the case. Allow sufficient time for preparation (at least 10-15 minutes).

V) Have teams act out their play in front of the other participants (one at a time).

VI) After each play, encourage discussion. Questions you might ask include:

• What’s happening here?

• What tends to happen in such situations?

• Why does this happen?

• What change can peaceful attitudes bring to such situations?

Source:

Adapted from an activity suggested by Father Juan Ignacio Cardona and Monsignor Hector Fabio Henao from Caritas Colombia.