Life on the line: can humanity survive?

In 2011, a new worldwide movement designed to do this was launched. 'The People's Charter to Create a Nonviolent World' invites people and organisations to consider publicly declaring their commitment to work to end human violence by signing an online pledge to participate in this worldwide effort. One way of doing so, for example, is to become involved in 'The Flame Tree Project to Save Life on Earth'  which is a simple way for individuals, households and communities to tackle the full range of environmental problems, irrespective of what governments and corporations do.

So far, many individuals and organisations in 57 countries have signed the Nonviolence Charter. Signatories include atheists, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jews and Muslims and endorsing organisations include academic, religious and women's groups as well as organisations that work on peace, development, human rights and environmental sustainability.

The Nonviolence Charter has been signed by many great people, even if you have never heard of them.

For example, Dianna Rivers works with indigenous people in Australia. Olga Lucia Alvarez Benjumea is a priest in Colombia. Susana Penafiel Acosta is a human rights activist in Ecuador. Gifty Ayim-Korankye is a news website editor from Ghana. Sami Rasouli organises the nonviolent Muslim Peacemaker Teams in Iraq. Martina Chiuia is a social worker in Macedonia. Fah Yen Yin and Nurul Haida Binti Dzulkifli work at JUST International in Malaysia. Lily Thapa works to secure women's rights in Nepal. Angelica S. Febrer is a villager in The Philippines. Habib Beldi works with the Association to Achieve Dignity and Freedom in Tunisia. Malik Hammad Ahmad is a graduate scholar in the UK. Robert Shetterly paints the portraits of 'Americans Who Tell the Truth' in the USA. And Mwewa Kabangasheshe is a school teacher in Zambia.

So how do you feel about this idea? Can we finally acknowledge the truth of the pervasive threats to human survival and act nonviolently in response to this truth?

Gandhi once said: 'A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history'. Are you a 'determined spirit'?