Building bridges in the midst of conflict: 12 organizations working for Israel-Palestine peace
There is a glimmer of hope in the heart of one of the world's longest and most complex wars, yet it often goes unrecognized. While the sad reality of violence and division dominates the media, countless grassroots organizations are working tirelessly to bring peace and reconciliation to the Read More...
The EU and the world stand with Ukraine
While Russian troops continue to push into Ukraine, more and more people all over the world and across Europe are banding together to show support and solidarity against this violent assault. Though these are scary and uncertain times, it is encouraging to see how humanity can find common ground to Read More...
World Unity Week: Indigenous wisdom, climate change, and peace on Earth
Welcome to World Unity Week! We’re collaborating with other change-making organizations around the world to promote healing, community, and discussion. Each day, we will be featuring one of the many great events happening this week, and we encourage you to head over to the World Unity Week Read More...
This is what happens when police respond to protesters with compassion
In many cities where the George Floyd protests are taking place, the police have responded to protestors using rubber bullets, riot gear, and tears gas, which seemed to demonstrate the very need for these protests in the first place. But not every interaction between police and protestors turned Read More...
A positive from the protests in Sudan? Beautiful new murals across the capitol
Sudanese artist Rashid Drar used to work from home. Now the 44-year-old’s canvas is any empty piece of wall he can find nearby a month-long sit-in outside the Defense Ministry in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Rashid is one of the many protesters who have embraced art as a form of revolutionary Read More...
Los Angeles gangs unite for the biggest peace rally since the 1992 LA riots
It is often in the grimmest of times when tragedy has struck that our shared humanity emerges—that we start to show the real love and support we have for each other that isn’t always plain to see in everyday life. What has been happening in Los Angeles this week is a moving example of this. Read More...
Peace—not war—will motivate the next wave of technological innovations
Although war is responsible for causing a number of horrible things, over the years it’s also led to many transformative inventions, such as the aircraft, duck tape, and the Internet. Now, according to the president emerita at MIT, the world is on the cusp of a new innovation boom, one that Read More...
Peace Warrior
Possibility From The Optimist Magazine Summer 2014 The Maasai of East Africa are famous for their warrior culture. Tradition dictates that the boys of this nomadic tribe earn the respect of their clan by fighting with lions or with rivals. Disputes between villages over grazing rights for cattle or Read More...
Possibility: Rebels with a job
From The Optimist Magazine Fall 2015 “A new day begins. I am sure of who I am, although there are people who still don’t understand. To find solutions, war is not the way.” These are the first lines of the song “Pido Perdón” (“I Apologize”), made by a group called La Iguana and two Read More...
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi: use your anger to change the world
Anger can be a very good thing. Like when sheer outrage led human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi to free 83,000 children from slavery. “For centuries, we were taught anger is bad. Everyone taught us to control and suppress our anger. But I ask ‘why’? Why Read More...