Forces to Be Reckoned With Governments around the world are recognizing the value of NGOs, whose missions range from humanitarian aid, active war resistance and human rights promotion to peace education and research. They need partners to do the work. Civilians tend to take more notice, too, when the peacemaker is someone they can relate to. Barbara Wiedner leads an international anti-nuke movement called Grandmothers for Peace. She says her group always attracts attention, particularly when they're arrested for protesting.
Most people remember their grandmothers fondly.
PeaceBuilders, a commercial violence-prevention program, is taught at more than 650 schools worldwide. Students and teachers are taught to respond to each other with constant positive reinforcement, both orally and in writing. Schools that use the program report big decreases in student suspensions and playground fights. Peace Action is the nation's largest grassroots peace group. Its global goals include an effort to stop weapons trafficking, but the group still runs education outreach programs through its 100 local chapters across the United States.