Amsterdam ~ International Conference, April 2025

It was a wonderful experience attending the 8th International NVR conference in Amsterdam and having the opportunity to connect with so many NVR practitioners. In particular, it was lovely to learn about so much innovative and creative NVR practice in the Netherlands. The organising committee chose a very special historical venue - The Royal Tropical Institute - set in beautiful surroundings and they even laid on the sunshine to make it extra special! All this transported me back to the very first international conference in Greenwich London in 2011 - 14 years of NVR have just flown by.

The conference theme of courage was a very relevant choice and a powerful uniting thread. There were so many opportunities for discussion, inspiration, laughter (and, for some, even dancing!). There were also profoundly moving moments, a standout one being hearing the testimony of four students of the United World College in Maastricht, each of whom shared their individual experience of resistance in the face of oppression, persecution and attack in their native countries (Tibet, Sudan, Ukraine and Afghanistan) prior to coming to the Netherlands. These courageous young women embody hope for a new generation of NonViolent Resistance.

Thanks and congratulations to Eliane, Wendy, Carla, Ilse, Anita and Debbie for themselves having the courage to take on the massive task of organising the conference and for turning it into such a memorable and successful event!