The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) International Gathering, September 26-29, 2021, gave Petrus and Nanik valuable experience in sharing experiences on peace activities with the children. This was our first opportunity to facilitate online in an international forum. In 75 minutes, we introduced AVP activities with children: Power of Goodness, Peace Activities, and preschool orientation curriculum. Based on our experience, children ages four years and older can join AVP. The primary adaptations we make for young children are: 1) give children opportunities by waiting for them to answer, and 2) play a lot of games, both social cooperative games and interacting with materials. One of the participants from AVP International plans to visit Peace Place Pati, Central Java, Indonesia next year. Everyone is welcome!

In commemoration of the International Peace Day, the Institute for Peace Synod GITJ, a Javanese Menonnonite church, organized a series of online workshops on, “Finding Recovery and Hope in the Midst of Crisis.” Workshops were held every Wednesday in September. On September 15, 2021, Peace Place Pati was given the opportunity to share our experience on “Practicing Nonviolence with Children.” In this online workshop was attended by 86 people. Petrus and Nanik invited the participants to practice several AVP-Cultures of Peace tools commonly used with children: stopping, gathering, AVP Approach, AVP Road Map, Cooperative Agreements, and Affirmations. They practiced in groups of four people in break out rooms. Participants were also introduced to agreements for play places and for play. Every day at Joglo Preschool we practice interpreting these words in action.

Agreements for the Place

  • Respect and love.
  • Be polite and patient.
  • Listen.
  • Speak softly.
  • Use your words.
  • Make decisions.
  • Be clean.
  • Be enthusiastic and enjoy.

Agreements for Play

  • Pick one thing to play with.
  • Take care of the materials, use what’s needed.
  • Use things in their proper place.
  • Use things for their proper purpose.
  • Focus, from start to finish.
  • Tell someone about it when you finish.
  • Clean up.
  • Choose another thing to play.
  • Enjoy!

In everyday life with children, we point out how everyone is good and capable, can act as a student and a teacher, and can embrace all ages and backgrounds. We do not forbid. We do not get angry or tell. We practice these points:

Agreements to Practice

  • Affirm self and others; no put downs or put ups.
  • Stop, listen, don’t interrupt.
  • Speak simply and honestly, without fear of mistakes.
  • Speak from one’s own experience, not others’ without permission.
  • Make friends not enemies with people similar and different from yourself.
  • Ask for and offer hospitality, feedback and help.
  • Tend to emotion, then speak directly if in dispute.
  • Use what’s needed and share the rest fairly.
  • Use your rights to pass and to ask for consultation.
  • Volunteer yourself only, not others.
  • Take care of each person, group, community, and the natural world.
  • Live in integrity with life’s transforming power.

Pastor Danang, Head of LPS, the Institute of Peace for the GITJ Synod, said that it turns out that within the GITJ Synod there is tremendous potential to assist children. He hopes that nonviolence education with children and families can be developed in the Javanese Mennonite Church. Rini, one of the participants from Jepara, personally asked how she could get information about participating in the training at Peace Place, especially for teenagers. Several other participants also asked about the same training held at the Peace Place Pati. And in the end, six of them continued on by joining the face-to-face AVP Personal Transformation Workshop on 18,19, 25, 26 September 2021.

Life without violence is a choice, and it has a renewing and regenerative power, Peace is Possible.