Day Without Violence

The Day Without Violence (DWV) was launched in 1996 by the Peace Studies Association (UMass Lowell is a founding member) and has been held annually at more than 100 universities and colleges throughout the United States. DWVs are held in early April to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Sometimes the events for the DWV last for two or more days.

For our DWVs, we have organized lectures, small-group discussions, interactive skits, training workshops and teen dances at UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College. Our peace banner, with hundreds of signatures and messages, has been displayed at many locations at both UMass Lowell and in the community. In 1998, a manual on organizing DWVs was written by PACSI’s student assistant. A copy is available in our Resource Space in O’Leary Library, room 500; for more details contact John MacDougall, 978-934-4303.

Events at our DWVs have been attended by more than 1000 people. These have included several hundred urban youth who have come to UMass Lowell for workshops, dances, etc.

For the 2008 DWV on April 3, the keynote speaker was Linda Biehl, an expert on restorative justice and human rights, who has worked extensively in South Africa.  She was joined by Ntobeko Peni, a violence-prevention activist in South Africa. Linda Biehl was also the first Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies at UMass Lowell.