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About IFOR


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About IFOR


Mission

Founded in response to the horrors of war in Europe, the IFOR has taken a consistent stance against war and its preparation throughout its history.

Perceiving the need for healing and reconciliation in the world, the founders of IFOR formulated a vision of the human community based upon the belief that love in action has the power to transform unjust political, social, and economic structures.

Today IFOR has branches, groups, and affiliates in over 40 countries on all continents. Although organized on a national and regional basis, IFOR seeks to overcome the division of nation-states which are often the source of conflict and violence. Its membership includes adherents of all the major spiritual traditions as well as those who have other spiritual sources for their commitment to nonviolence.

The Power of Nonviolence

IFOR members share a vision of a world where conflicts are resolved through nonviolent means, where systems that foster fear and hatred are dismantled, and where justice is sought as a basis for peace. While coming from diverse religious backgrounds, we have a common belief in the transforming power of nonviolence and reconciliation.

The International Secretariat

The IFOR International Secretariat in the Netherlands, co-ordinates communication among IFOR members, links branches to capacity-building resources and helps co-ordinate international campaigns, delegations and urgent actions.

IFOR has extensive working relationships with like-minded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society initiatives around the world. IFOR has over 100 years of expertise in active nonviolence, while being recognized and respected by these NGOs and many others.

International Representation

IFOR has observer and consultative status to the United Nations ECOSOC and UNESCO organizations.

IFOR maintains permanent representatives in Geneva, New York and Vienna and at the UNESCO in Paris who regularly participate in conferences and meetings of UN bodies, providing testimony and expertise from different regional perspectives, promoting non-violent alternatives in the fields of human rights, development, and disarmament.

 

News & Updates


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News & Updates


History


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History


Over 100 Years of Nonviolence

IFOR recently celebrated its Centennial and has been contributing to the global movement of nonviolence since its founding in 1914. Our history precedes not only many of the NGOs we currently work with but the United Nations with whom our international representatives correspond as well.

Please explore our highlighted history slightly re-edited by the IFOR Secretariat from a 1984 article by John Ferguson. Sources of the article can be found in our colophon.