The International Centre of Nonviolence
Advancing transformative change towards peaceful societies
in Africa and beyond
Vision: ICON aspires to be a visionary, engaged and collaborative Centre of Excellence,* committed to transforming societies and building sustainable peace across Africa and beyond.
Mission Statement: ICON promotes peace, justice and nonviolence in teaching, research and community engagement by:
- Developing skills and knowledge
- Using participatory and collaborative processes
- Embracing Ubuntu, ethical and spiritual values
- Nurturing spaces for meaningful encounters
ICON’s Core Values: Empathy, Integrity, Optimism, Trust, Solidarity
*Note: By a Centre of Excellence, we mean uncompromisingly high standards, an exemplary work ethic, with commitment to performance, value and impact, within an environment of mutual respect and trust, defined by an ethic of care.
What we do
- Undergraduate teaching in the university’s General Education programme and the training of university staff in transformative learning
- Postgraduate teaching at Master’s and PhD levels and assisting other African universities to set up peace programmes
- Community engagement, particularly the Durban Innovative Leadership Programme and the School Engagement Project
Our commitments
We are committed to building just societies, to ethical and collaborative practices and to inclusivity.
Our theory of change
Our teaching and research aim to help societies achieve sustained peace. This requires that they are transformational in their methods and outcomes, with an immediate impact on the lives of those involved.