International Center of Nonviolence (ICON)

ICON seeks ways of developing a culture of nonviolence.  Such a culture is much more than the avoidance of violence.  It challenges imbalances of power, based on race, gender and other identities.  It entails that we address the inequalities of wealth in society.  It requires and contributes to a context of sustainable development.  The role of education in schools and universities is central in building such a society.

ICON is based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on the ML Sultan campus of the Durban University of Technology (DUT). It has a close relationship with DUT, as there is a Memorandum of Agreement that commits both ICON and DUT to collaborative work to mainstream nonviolence into the curricula of DUT.

Mission and Vision

ICON’s mission is to make strategic interventions in education that challenge structural violence. These processes work to bring key changes in society – specifically supporting the creation of a culture of non-violence.

ICON seeks to make non-violence real through analysis of the local and global context, through research and through reflective practice. These inform its actions and strengthen its capacity in the field of nonviolence.

Its vision is that of a centre, based in the third world, that connects and sustains a global network of activists with the skills and understandings needed to build peace, in particular through education.