PEACE Iowa

About Nathan Kleban

Nathan is an experienced facilitator who lives in Iowa City and works for Right Sharing of World Resources, an international Quaker nonprofit. He has also been involved in the Alternatives to Violence Project, the Catholic Worker movement, and has lived and served in various intentional communities dedicated to peace, healing, and sustainability.

About Lyndsey Scott

Lyndsey is an artist, songleader, and ritualist committed to exploring community singing as a technology of belonging and strategy for collective liberation. She recently moved to Iowa City as the 2024-25 Grant Wood Fellow in Interdisciplinary Performance in the University of Iowa School of Music. Find out more about Lyndsey at www.lyndseyscott.earth.

Conduct and Participation:

• Follow protest leaders’ and peace marshals’ instructions.
• Ignore hecklers when marching. Stay peaceful and focused on your message (e.g., "ceasefire now").
• Remain calm at rallies or vigils, even when provoked. Don't let opponents divert the group's focus.
• Remember, your response represents Palestinians, peace activists, and Jews who support peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.

Use De-escalation Strategies:

• Avoid shouting at opponents; it causes defensiveness, escalation, and distraction.
• The public and media are listening.
• If safe, speak calmly and respectfully to those who disagree with you. Otherwise, ignore them or let someone else talk to them.
• If an opponent is willing to engage:
• Find common ground (e.g., acknowledging areas of agreement like the horror of the Holocaust).
• Share your personal reasons for supporting peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.
• Use personal stories and listen to theirs.
• Share just a few key facts.
• Thank them for the dialogue.
• Respect an opponent’s choice not to converse.