A Season for Peace and Nonviolence

64 Days 64 Ways A Season for Peace and Nonviolence January 30-April 4 http://www.64-days.org/ Inspired by the principles of nonviolence practiced and taught by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez and many others

Simple. Powerful.

BE the PEACE.

Gandhi King Chavez Season for Nonviolence, January 30 - April 4, is a national 64-day educational, media, and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and our communities. Inspired by the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this international event honors their vision for an empowered, nonviolent world. Spanning the next decade, the life of Cesar Chavez is now included in the 64 Day Season. Task forces in 115 U.S. cities in 40 states and 10 countries have embraced this grassroots campaign to bring to life these practices and principles.

Why we do it

• Our purpose is to create an awareness of nonviolent principles and practices as a powerful way to heal, transform and empower our lives and communities.
• Through an educational and community action campaign, we are honoring those who are using nonviolence to build a community that honors the dignity and worth of every human being.
• We are demonstrating that every person can move the world in the direction of peace through their daily nonviolent choice and action.

What we do

Offer the 64 Ways Practices to local school districts along with powerful presentations of nonviolent principles and tools. Our vision is to empower the youth so they may manifest their dreams into reality in a healthy, safe environment.

In 2007, the 10 year Anniversary of A Season for Nonviolence Greater Dallas Task Force was created by the Center for Spiritual Living Dallas inviting Unity of Dallas to co-sponsor events in alignment with the 64 Day Practices of peace. Over 25 team members and a host of volunteers joined hearts and hands to create an amazing season which began with an Interfaith Opening Ceremony at the Center for Spiritual Living reading the City of Dallas Proclamation of the 2007 Season for Nonviolence, issued by Mayor Laura Miller.

The mission of the SNV Greater Dallas Task Force is to bring peace and nonviolent principles and tools to the youth of Dallas through the implementation of the 64 Daily Practices and by bringing in nationally known guest speaker Azim Khamisa with his "Ending the Cycle of Violence" program.

In February 2007, 3,500 students were directly impacted by the powerful message of nonviolence, healing and forgiveness through the presentation of guest speaker Azim Khamisa who has transformed the lives of thousands of children through his Tariq Khamisa Foundation (tkf.org). On February 3rd, 2007 Azim Khamisa addressed 100 children of the Boys and Girls Club of Dallas along with a few Dallas Independent School District (DISD) Counselors at the Women’s Museum. On February 5th and 6th, 2007 Mr. Khamisa spoke to the students of two DISD Middle Schools (Fred F. Florence and J.L. Long) and two DISD High Schools (W.W. Samuell and Woodrow Wilson) reaching 3400 teens and young adults as well as teachers and counselors

Sharing his inspirational story of his journey of forgiveness over the murder of his only son, Tariq, by a fourteen year old gang member, Mr. Khamisa’s empowering message of implementing nonviolent choices in their daily lives clearly impacted the children as well as the faculty. Mr. Khamisa is being scheduled to return to W.W. Samuell High School, Fred F. Florence and Sam Tasby Middle Schools in a more intimate, classroom setting to directly speak with the children and to share his "Ending the Cycle of Violence" program.

The "Ending the Cycle of Violence" program has already been launched at Sam Tasby Middle School which sits in the highest crime rate area in Dallas. A waiting list by DISD Counselors is being developed as the SNV Greater Dallas Task Forces seeks funding for training facilitators to implement this powerful program.

The 2007 Season created a unique website which offered video versions of each daily practice (www.64-days.org), carried a calendar of the various classes and events throughout the season as it experienced 4,000 views with an international presence developed in partnership with www.Gratefulness.org.

The 64 Daily Practices were shared with over 5,000 people via email newsletters, twice daily to over 50,000 radio listeners on planned spots and reached over 15,000 additional people through various community outreach marketing campaigns.

The Season closed with a powerful Peace Concert at Unity of Dallas with headliner Sara Hickman. Proceeds from the concert benefited YMCA Casa Shelter.

Activities of the 2008 Season

The Dallas and Irving Independent School Districts accepted the program and are implementing the 64 Day Practices through their Counseling Division – over 280 participating schools.

SNV Greater Dallas Task Force donated two bilingual 64 Day Posters (from Common Peace in Los Angeles) for each school in Dallas and Irving.

The return visit to Dallas by Azim Khamisa was a great success where he introduced his widely acclaimed "Ending the Cycle of Violence" program to Dallas area youth with events at W.W. Samuell High School, Fred F. Florence and Sam Tasby Middle School in small, classroom settings and auditorium presentations. The lasting impact of his presence and powerful forgiveness program may never be known but was certainly seeded and deeply appreciated by the principals, counselors and staff of each school.

In an unprecedented event, on February 4, 2008 Mr. Khamisa presented an overview of his program and the statistical evidence of its effectiveness in San Diego to 260 Dallas ISD counselors, 15 Irving ISD counselors and a representative of the Dallas Police Department Gang Unit at a private event held at the Center for Spiritual Living.

Opening and closing ceremonies were presented at the Center for Spiritual Living with spoken word performances by Veronica Valles, RScP, Community Service Director and Chair of the SNV Greater Dallas Task Force, elegant dance by Monica Lecrone, soulful and beautiful flute of Cornell Kinderkinecht, with the power and musical dynamics of Michael Gott, RScP, Fine Arts Director. Both ceremonies were led with the prayers of Rev. Dr. Petra Weldes and Brother ChiSing of the Awakening Heart Sangha.