2012-10-08

World pro golfer Dustin Johnson joins the call. Unveiling his sculpture while at Ryder Cup in St Andrews.

During the weekend NVP initiated the University for Peace project at St Andrews University i Scotland. The world top golfer Dustin Johnson, visiting St Andrews for Ryder Cup, unveiled his sculpture outside the University Library.

University students at St Andrews forming a NVP Committe are now prepared to start the first training with 25 enthusiastic students. Next step is implementing the Schools for Peace program in St Andrews schools.

See the NVPF educational strategy and library

2012-09-21

Celebrating World Peace Day

On this very day, announced by the United Nation to be the international world peace day, several activities was performed around our network.

In Uganda a Peace Festival was arranged with students who have taken part in our education outreach programs as well as musicians and dancers. The event was hosted by the RDC of the Jinja District.

In Brazil NVP was hosting an event headed up by Derrick Green, lead singer of Sepultura and with other Brazilian artists and others.

In Mexico NVP hosted a celebrations in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, including events at the UNAM University, exhibitions in Mexico City and major events at the Monterrey Football Stadium reaching out to all soccer clubs with a strong peace and non-violence message.

In USA, Sweden, Norway, China, Iran, and even on the Faroe Islands musicians and suporters from different walks of life prepared, recorded and sent their peace and non-violence messages through videos, images, encouraging everybody to join our call for peace and non- violence.

News release

News report

2012-07-30

Gaby Moreno joins the call for peace and non-violence

We welcome Guatemalan singer songwriter Gaby Moreno as ambassador for the Non-violence Project and the call IOBFFP:

A short resumé on Gaby:

In 2007, Gaby won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest ( Latin Category) with her song “Escondidos”. She also won the Grand Prize Maxwell Song of the Year and went to New York to open the concert of Fergie (a member of the Black Eyed Peas) and was recognized for her awards.

In 2008, Gaby was invited to the opening of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, where she met with Yoko Ono.

In May 2012 Gaby performed on NBC´s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno alongside legendary musicians as Kris Kristofeson, Leland Sklar, Jonny Lang among others, singing “Toast To Freedom” , a song that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Amnesty International.

In June 2012 Gaby performed alongside Bono of U2, Angelique Kidjo, Damien Rice, Lupe Fiasco and others, the song: "Get Up, Stand Up" from Bob Marly. This was part of the Electric Burma Concert held in Dublin, Ireland in honor of Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize of Burma.

2012-07-15

Video greeting from Yoko Ono

We are proud to have Yoko Ono as one of our global ambassadors and we are greatful for her support. Here is a greeting from her to you:

The IOBFFP face counter started with the first number 0.000.000.001 reserved for John Lennon and naturally, the 0.000.00.002 was reserved for Yoko Ono:

2012-06-30

Derrick Green joins the call

We say welcome to Brazil's new ambassador for the Non-Violence Project and our call for peace – Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace:

"I'm very happy to be a part of the Non-Violence Project Foundation. It's important that our children have the proper education to deal with and understand the violence that is happening around us. I hope to help in any way that I can to make a change and bring more awareness to this important foundation." 

Derrick Green, Sepultura

Check Sepultura's website

2014-04-14

Sir Paul McCartney joins the call.

Sir Paul McCartney joined the Non-Violence project and the call IOBFFP during a recent visit in Mexico City. Sir Paul received the NVP México director and a group of young graduates from the Non-Violence educational program in Mexico.

Sir Paul McCartney performed at three concerts im Mexico with more than 400,000 fans in total.

Sir Paul congratulated the NVP team for the efforts and work done in Mexico and Latín America: 

"Congratulation guys! It's amazing what you do in here, keep up the hard work for peace and non-violence! It is an honor for me to be part of this together with you."

2012-04-13

NVP team up with World Boxing Council.

Jose Sulaiman, President of the WBC and the World Boxing Council joins the Non Violence Project and the global call Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace.

Jose Sulaiman, President of the WBC and Rolf Skjoldebrand, founder of NVPF

teaming up in Mexico City for the agreement.

The World Boxing Council is going to active participating in the NVP agenda of providing healthy and non-violent education to the young people to eradicate the violence in society. The WBC and the NVP set an agreement to collaborate together to build a better future for youth and spread the global call for peace – iobffp.

President Sulaiman said: "To be a part of this organization and call is an honor and it makes a call to all the boxing family to participate and join the movement". WBC has presence in 165 countries in the world and from now, the NVP and WBC will work together in different activities.

In May 5 during a boxing show in Las Vegas, the sculpture of the State of Puebla and the WBC will be exhibit in the MGM hotel as one of the immediately actions.

2012-04-04

Vazquez Sounds joins the call.

Non Violence Project welcome the Mexican Band "Vazquez Sounds" as one of our ambassadors, we are confident that we can spread the message of peace around Latin America and the world with the art of your music. We are very happy with this participation and we know that we will reach our goal of the Global call for peace if you join us and help us to invite your millions of fans to sign up for peace in the iobffp.com page.

Our office in Mexico will advice to your fans about our events and of course we are pleased to announce your decition of getting involve with us.

Welcome Vazquez Sounds!

2012-02-27

Tennis For Peace in Mexico

The "Tennis For Peace" program started in México with the presentation of the exhibition "Non-Violence Tennis For Peace Tour" in the Mexican Tennis Open 2012 celebrated in Acapulco, Guerrero.

With the presence of very high level tennis players and a lot of fans, the exhibition makes a global call for peace and invites people to join the call IOBFFP.

Many famous artists and sports personalities have been visiting the exhibition and we would like to invite you to join us and join the Tennis for Peace program in Mexico.

2011-12-09

Anahi moves on.

2011 was a year with many succesful events for NVP/iobffp in Mexico: Anahi joined us as Global Ambassador with her good examples, music and voice, encouraging people to join in our global call for peace - iobffp. Next year, Anahi and other Global Ambassadors will be present in our world expo, "Guns for peace" that will take place in London 2012.

In the name of the foundation, the call for peace and non-violence, our main orhganization's board and family members as well as all our global Ambassadors we would like to thank and congratulate our amazing Mexican artist Anahi - a great symbol for peace and a great voice of hope.

Let's imagine a world without violence and let's imagine one billion faces for

peace.

2011-12-08

Beatle's Ringo Starr joins the call for peace

Ringo Starr, Global Peace and Non-Violence Ambassador.

Report: British musician and drummer in cult band The Beatles, Ringo Starr, flashes the peace symbol as he poses next to his replica  the knotted gun statue for The Non-Violence campaign that he unveiled in London, on Thursday. Starr urged other musicians to join the campaign on December 8, the 31st anniversary of the killing of bandmate John Lennon.

Thursday, December 8 marks 31 years since John Lennon was murdered and Ringo Starr is aiming to spread Lennon’s famous message of peace and non-violence.

In an urgent call to action, Ringo urged musicians from across genres and generations to unite behind The Non-Violence Project Foundation (NVPF) and its aim to put a stop to violence affecting young people. Ringo was joined at the knotted gun unveiling held exclusively in the Gibson Guitar Studio by Bafta’s Rising Star nominee Adam Deacon and MOBO Award-winning hip-hop artist Akala.

Ringo Starr said: “I am doing the best I can – how about you?”

The former Beatle created his own design on the charity’s signature logo of the knotted gun statue “Non-Violence” which was originally created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd as a memorial tribute to John Lennon.

To learn more about Non-Violence Project, please visit www.nonviolence.com, and to learn more about the global call for peave, please visit www.iobffp.com

Some links:

Photo Credit: Lauren Keogh

2011-11-15

NVP/Iobffp are making a national tour to promote the message of non-violence.

Check this video with some of the moments captured. The NVP-team in Uganda is doing a great job. Like the idea? You can start the same thing where you live. If you are interested in doing so, please do not hesitate to contact us at info (at) nonviolence.com or info (at) iobffp.com.

See you!

2011-10-12

Anahi joins our global call!

We are proud to announce that the great Latina american Star Anahi join our global call for peace – Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace. Anahi is now one of our Global Ambassadors, she has already create her own non-violence sculpture and will participate with a message of love and peace for Mexico, Brazil and the entire planet.

Check Anahi's Youtube channel.

You can follow Ahani's messages on twitter "@anahi" and join her and our call for peace and non-violence. During the opening ceremony of the exhibition in Guadalajara, Mexico. we will show her sculpture design to her fans together with other sculptures made by our other global non-violence ambassadors.

Thank you for joining our cause, Anahi!

2011-10-02

Imagine Mexico For Peace

On the 2nd of October, NVP Mexico unveiled the Imagine Mexico for Peace Exhibition Tour at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, with the presence of the Secretary of Education Mario Delgado, El Hijo del Santo, Inty Gomez, Director of the Centro Histórico, El Senador Pablo Gomez, Director of the Centro Historico, Rolf Skoldebrand, co-founder NVP Foundation and Fausto Ceballos, Vicepresidente of FoX Sports Latin America.

The 2nd of October marks an important part of the Mexican history, being the day in 1968, when the military stormed this historic building and killed several students protesters.

NVP is very proud of being part of this historic memorial tribute. The Exhibition is the start of a countrywide education outreach program throughout schools and sports. Next stop of the tour is Guadelajara which start on the 12th of October.

2011-07-28

Short "summary" by and with Eddy Balina - initiator of NVP-Uganda

(sorry about poor sound quality...)

2011-07-27

Phone interview after workshop in St Florence Highschool

2011-07-27

NVP at Gandhi Memorial

This morning we went on a small excursion around the source of the river Nile. We visited the Gandhi Memorial, where according to history his ashes are spread. From the picts you can see the beginning of the river and when it powers through the waterfalls.

The memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

Eddy Balina and one of his crew members.

It takes four months for the water in the Nile to reach the Mediterranean Sea.

The Nile is the worlds longest river and it passes through five countries. It takes four months for the water to reach the Mediterranean Sea. At the beginning of the river, by Lake Victoria, there are also several fresh water wells. A lot of people come to these wells to pick up fresh water because they cannot afford to buy water.

A non-violence sculpture on the grounds of the  Gandhi Memorial?

We are offered to place a Non-Violence sculpture here to honor Gandhis vision and to make an even stronger mark for the ideas on a non violent lifestyle. A famous Gandhi quote is: "If you want to change the world, start with the children." Of course it would be a great symbolic honor for the NVP to be able to raise our sculpture on these grounds. Also...think about having a sign-up post for Imagine One Billion Faces next to it. that would be awesome...

This afternoon we are back in business training some 400 youths from various schools. Interesting scenario. We have never trained such a big group at the same time before. However, I trust Eddy and that the NVP team will manage to help us out on that one - more on that tonight.

Best/Rolf S

2011-07-26

SMS from Jinja, Uganda

Photo by Eve

Hi, we are now in the little town Jinja, north of Kampala, situated at the source of the river Nile. Today we have done an introduction of the Schools For Peace program to 250 students from 6 different schools. The reception was awesome and all students participated in various non-violence workshops during the day.

All this was possible thanks to the preparations done by our newest team - The NVP Uganda, concisting of 20 young, ambitious youth leaders – inspired and supervised by Eddy Balina. 

Eddie and his team has already implemented the Schools For Peace program in 20 schools and are now prepared to take the program across entire Uganda.

Today we also did a "manual" sign-up session for Iobffp. Due to the lack of computers we only managed to make a first effort, but everybody wants to join so the NVP Uganda team will make it happen as soon as the computers are in order.

Tomorrow we will be doing another session in front of 400 students. Uganda and the Non-Violence Project has becomed one. 

That's all for now, looking out on an amazing sunset from the source of the Nile.

Best/Rolf S and Eddy B

2011-07-24

Video report before leaving from Stockholm, Sweden:

2011-07-22

2011-07-20

The Non-Violence Music For Peace Tour

The Non-Violence Music For Peace Tour kicks off at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. As a direct follow up to the Tennis For Peace event in Båstad, Sweden, this event serves the purpose of raising awareness of the educational outreach program amongst the musical elite in Switzerland and Europe. 

Verbier Festival 14-31 July.

A number of replicas created by our Global Peace and Non-Violence Ambassadors has been placed on the site.

Music For Peace by London Music School

The Verbier Festival Orchestra, under the baton of its Music Director Charles Dutoit, kicks off the proceedings. Other performers topping the bill include Martha Argerich, Joshua Bell,Nelson Freire, David Garrett, Valery Gergiev, Leonidas Kavakos, Angelika Kirchschlager, Evgeny Kissin, Gidon Kremer, Mischa Maisky, Anne-Sophie Mutter, René Pape, Vadim Repin, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Bryn Terfel and Yuja Wang.

The 2011 programme goes into uncharted waters too, with a remarkable evening featuring Béjart Ballet Lausanne. There will also be an unprecedented concert by accordionist Richard Galliano.

More about the Verbier Music Festival.

2011-07-18

Italian football legend Gianluigi Buffon donates his Non-Violence sculpture to Nelson Mandela.

Gianluigi Buffon – a Global Non-Violence Ambassador.

Italian international and Juventus goalkeeper Luigi Buffon donates the non-violence sculpture he personally designed to former South African President Nelson Mandela, in recognition of his lifelong work to bring about peace and no-violence in South Africa and the world. Gianluigi Buffon is a Global Non-Violence Ambassador. Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Buffon’s statue was handed over to the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa by Bafana Nzimandi and several Soweto youth involved in the Futbol for Peace program throughout the 2010 World Cup. 

Mandela at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Mandela served as a great inspiration to Buffon throughout his life and career. Buffon said "intensely proud that a symbol that I designed and which represents sporting goals and achievements overcoming violence across the world is being presented to such a global symbol of peace as Nelson Mandela. I hope that my statue will continue to inspire young people to choose sport rather than violence as their life-path."

The Non- Violence replica was designed by Buffon as part of Futbol for Peace an initiative by the Non-Violence Project Foundation. Futbol for Peace was launched at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

- 

2011-07-14 

The Iobffp Sidewalk Masterpeace initiative.

Suddenly we had a friend chalking up our web-address on the sidewalk as an expression for peace and non-violence. The next thing we knew a knotted gun was chalked on another corner. The "sidewalk masterpeace" idea was born.

A great initiative from one of our friends in USA. We now encourage anyone, anywhere to get some dry chalk crayons and go out and do the same thing: Make art where you stand. Make your sidewalk masterpeace and post your image or film on our Facebook-page and inspire others to do the same (you will soon be able to post it on our FaceFinder). Let's make this a global non-violent art relay...

If you wanna go for it... please don't chalk on buildings or on private property (if it's not yours). If you use dry chalk your masterpeace is only a bucket of water and a brush away from being cleaned off...if your art happens to make trouble for anyone else. Make nice art and be cool out there:)

More about the sidewalk initiative.

2011-07-11

Tennis for Peace in action

Robin Söderling and Ernst Billgren unveiled their sculpture today at the opening ceremony of the Swedish Open tennis tournament in Båstad, Sweden. The sculpture is a part of The Non-Violence Tour. Robin- and Ernst's sculpture is one of nine sculptures displayed during the tournament and the Tennis For Peace Program.

Tennis For Peace - Ernst Billgren and Robin Söderling.

Photo: Stefan Andersson

Magnus Dahlberg, Peter Ekelund, Ernst Billgren och Robin Söderling. Photo: Stefan Andersson

The Non-Violence Prize

The annual Båstad and Non-Violence Award was also presented at the opening ceremony. Headmaster Magnus Dahlberg at Apelgårdsskolan in Malmoe, received the award for his significant work changing the multi cultural school to be a safer place for students and staff with more respect and less violence. See more on TV4 News (in Swedish).

2011-03-17

Global peace campaign in H&M stores 17/3 - 31/3

Our partner H&M has created a collection with our knotted gun. It is a global campaign where 10% of the sales is donated towards the Non-Violence Project Foundation to finance the educational outreach program worldwide.

Get dressed for peace and join the world's largest call for peace and non-violence ever manifested. Once you sign up you will be part of a global educational outreach manifestation to honour the legacy of John Lennon.

Samples from the H&M collection.

Check the H&M Online Shop.

IMAGINE A WORLD IN PEACE!

"Our objective is to engage young people to understand how to solve conflicts peacefully. Wear it and you are part of creating a change." H&M

Check out the H&M website

2011-01-21

Yoko Ono joins the Non-Violence Project and the call for peace.

From the Pressrelease: On January 21, 2011, Yoko Ono unveiled her interpretation of the iconic symbol, created in her late husband’s memory:

"When John wrote ‘Imagine’ he had a vision of the world in peace. While creating my interpretation of the knotted gun symbol, I thought back to Imagine and the world “living as one” as both John and I were and are devoted to the idea that global peace is a realizable objective. The Non-Violence Project is taking that vision through into the 21st century."

Non-Violence Project:

 The Non-Violence Project’s signature logo is a well-known symbol of peace – a gun with a knotted barrel – created by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd as a memorial tribute to John Lennon after he was shot and killed on December 8, 1980 in New York City. Global notable figures are invited to create a symbol of their own; eventually a tour of the knotted guns will travel the world to raise funds and awareness for the campaign. So far, the knotted gun proudly stands in more than thirty strategic public locations around the world, including the UN Headquarters in New York City, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne and the Peace Park in Beijing.

Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace

Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace, the world’s largest call-to-action for peace and non-violence, has already educated over five million students worldwide. The global initiative, backed by Yoko Ono, hopes to educate millions more. Joining Yoko as an ambassador of peace is easy; simply upload your photo to IOBFFP.org. In return, each new member of the billion will receive ‘Ten ways to stay out of trouble,’ a program designed to inspire and motivate people to be¬come Non-Violence ambassadors within their community as well as online.

Yoko One in IOBFFP. The second number reserved for her.

IOBFFP is the newest part of The Non-Violence Project. The Project, launched in 1993, is a Swiss-based, non-profit international youth education and leadership initiative promoting social change.

IOBFFP’s goal is to become the world’s foremost organization for violence prevention education and to create a meeting place for the next generation of leaders. Its objectives are simple: to inspire, motivate and engage young peo¬ple in positive action. This is done through grass-roots education initiatives – schools the world over are equipped with programs which first instruct teachers, coaches and community leaders how to implement the courses and then the tools to do so as well. In classrooms, on sports fields and in recreational community centers across the globe, young people are engaged in exercises that address everything from bullying and self-esteem concerns to sexual harassment and anti-violence issues.

2010-12-21

Release of new uploading tool

Today we updated the registration procedure and released a new face photo uploading tool. Some of you have had troubles with the uploading. We are truly sorry about that, but hope that the longterm ambition with this idea and website will manage to conquer any of your dissapointments so far.

More new stuff will be added this very day. Why not check on how you can become (or "will become" if already signed up) a part of the World's Largest Book.

2010-12-09

The Non-Violence sculpture at the Hawaii Community College

The Hawaii Community College unveiled yesterday their Non-Violence sculpture as a tribute to John Lennon. The sculpture will be placed on campus in order to remind the students about the importance of keeping an open discussion concerning peace and non-violence alive.

This video shows a speech from the ceremony where  Mrs Diane Landsburg, CEO of The Non-Violence Project USA participated:

Congratulations HCC!

2010-12-08

We hereby honor John Lennon by giving him the first number of the IOBFFP Face Counter:

2010-12-08

Iobffp.com 1.0

The website Iobffp.com was launched today at 11.00 pm EST. A symbolic 30 years after the tragic death shooting of John Lennon outside his home in New York. An incident that led to the creation of the knotted gun sculpture and the non-violence symbol, designed by artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, a close friend of John Lennon.

Now 30 years later this triggered the start of the campaign Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace –  Iobffp – an educational outreach manifestation to honor the legacy of John Lennon, elevating his vision of peace and non-violence into the twenty first century.

Each face signed up on this call will contribute in power and a small financial contribution from external partners. The counter starts this very day and the first Iobffp-number is of course dedicated to John Lennon himself:

The Non-Violence sculpture has been placed at the United Nations head quarter in New York and at more than 30 strategic places around the world, including, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, at the Waterfront in Cape Town and in the Peace Park in Beijing, China.

In 1993 the knotted gun became the logo symbol for The Non Violence Project Foundation.

2010-10-19

Iobffp received the Facebook Non Profit Award at SIME 2010

After 17 years in the non-violence education field the Non-Violence Project and its campaign IOBFFP - Imagine One Billion Faces For Peace, was yesterday honored with an award that might be the most important recognition ever received by us – the Facebook Non-Profit Award at SIME 2010.

SIME is Europe’s largest conference about Internet and stands for embracing digital opportunities to make the world a better place.

The Award was won in competition with other initiatives including; SOS Children’s Villages, WWF, The Red Cross, Amnesty International, UNICEF, UNHCR, Médecins sans Frontière and the Nobelprize.org.

2010-10-09

174 nationalities singing for peace and non-violence

NVP Scandinavia arranged a manifestation event for John Lennon i City of Malmoe on October 9th in memory of his birthday. Several educational activities was performed and a children's choir consisting of 174 nationalities from the region performed with the choir singing of John Lennon's song Imagine.

Link to video

2010-07-12

Futbal For Peace at FIFA World Cup 2010

Non-Violence Project participated with an education outreach program, inspiring school children living in Cape Town during the FIFA WORLD CUP 2010. The activity "Futbol for peace" was managed by NVP Porthsmouth and NVP Stockholm. One of the highlights was the launch of the Knot Violence - Futbol for Peace Campaign in presence of Aaron Mokoena, the South African Captain.