Addressing violence and conflict locally and nationally

What does love and justice require of us in times such as these? Many Friends are getting in touch to share concerns about harmful conflict, division, and violence in communities. We will use this page to share ideas and resources about how we might reflect and respond.

Peacebuilding in Britain (Quakers in Britain) offers the following resources based on our ongoing mapping of conflict trends and the concerns that many of us at Quakers in Britain are hearing from Friends, including targeted violence towards people seeking sanctuary. Please explore the resources below whilst being mindful of your context and what will be most useful based on your local understanding and connections, whilst looking after yourself and others.

Resources for reflection and contemplation

• Quaker Minute - Minute 26 from Yearly Meeting 2025 (PDF) asks, “How do we as Quakers address violence and conflict in our local communities and across Britain?" – you may want to use this for reflection, perhaps with your local meeting or relevant group.
• Loving your neighbour - Paul Parker (Quakers in Britain) reflects on having neighbours and being a neighbour and asks “How does Quaker faith shape the ways we behave within the neighbourhood of all people?".
• A reflection on peace - 'Where do we find the divine – the source of peace?' (offsite link) by Fiona Murdoch shared at the All-Island Interfaith Gathering for Peace (16 September 2025) and published in The Friend (03 Oct 25).
• Connecting the dots - “Let the signals we send be those of peace, and the knots we tie symbolise how our fates are bound inextricably together." A reflection (August 2025) by Kirstin Bayes via Rethinking Security that connects local and global dots that might prompt discussion (offsite link).
• Methodist Church reflection – asks, “At times of pressure, we need to ask: what is mine or ours to do?" The Methodist Church offer their thoughts on anti-migrant protests (offsite link), popular expressions of Christian nationalism, and the “Raise the Colours" movement.
• Baptists Together – offer thoughts on, “The Church, the far right, and the claim to Christianity" (offsite link).
• Contemplation - we offer this line of poetry from Pádraig Ó Tuama (2019) - "it is in the shelter of each other that the people live." In Irish, "ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine."

Resources for reflective action

• Toolkit - our Engaging with Conflict, Challenging Hate toolkit offers examples and reflection prompts on how to grapple with and respond to conflict and hate, including the two hands of nonviolence. (This is currently being edited so please email to request a copy when ready.)
• Practical Peacebuilding Handbook (PDF) – offers learning from peace activists and organisers working for peace and justice in local communities in Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi.

• Safe Passage - offers a guide (offsite link) to navigating tough conversations on refugee rights. Includes the following tips - 1) Stay calm, 2) Share stories of real-life experiences, 3) Ask questions e.g. what would you do if this happened to you, and 4) Find common ground and shared values.

• Download this Pocket Guide (offsite link) - “Where you live is where you will find the people with the courage to reach beyond divisions and the perseverance to resist the push and pull of toxicity." This and much more in a Pocket Guide resource about responding to harmful conflict in communities by John Paul Lederach.
• Creative resistance – Beautiful Trouble (offsite link) offers many tools and ideas to engage in imaginative, nonviolent resistance.

Useful connections

Quakers in Britain

• Peacebuilding in Britain - find out more about the work of Peacebuilding in Britain.
• Faith in Action – get support and find out more about the work of Faith in Action.
• Peace Education - find out more about the work of Peace Education.
• Local or Youth Development Workers – find your local worker.

Other Quaker organisations

• QARN - find out more about Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) (offsite link).
• NFPB - find out more about Northern Friends Peace Board (offsite link).
• Restoring Relations - find out more about Restoring Relations (offsite link).
• Peace Hub - find out more about Peace Hub (offsite link) (Birmingham)
• Woodbrooke – find out more about Woodbrooke (offsite link).

If you are looking for some support to take action or can't find a resource, please contact qpsw@quaker.org.uk.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash