Atlanta, GA., Dec. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, announced the theme for the 56th annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and the 39th King Holiday Observance commemorating her father's 95th birthday. The 2024 theme is It Starts with Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence.
Aligning with the theme, The King Center will host several events from January 4th – January 15th, including a Kick-Off Reception, Press Conference, Book Signing, Global and Youth Summit, Children’s Book Reading and Puppet Show, the Shifting the Climate Through a Love-Centered Strategy Nonviolence365Ò Workshop, Community Service Projects, the Beloved Community Awards, and the Beloved Community Commemorative Service.
This year’s theme addresses the strategies we must employ individually and collectively to create a just, humane, equitable, and peaceful world. It also addresses the pathway we must take to achieve this desired world. As the theme conveys, each person must understand that “It Starts with Me” and connect with others to shift the cultural climate in every area of life.
The theme emphasizes the study and practice of Kingian Nonviolence, which The King Center rebranded as Nonviolence365Ò, the prominent training course for providing the tools to make the necessary shifts in the cultural climate. The shifts explored during the celebration will ultimately help to create the Beloved Community, which our founder, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, described as “a realistic vision of an achievable society, one in which problems and conflict exist, but are resolved peacefully and without bitterness.”
The study of Nonviolence365Ò enables understanding of The Six Principles of Kingian Nonviolence, the fundamental tenets of Dr. King’s nonviolence philosophy, and The Six Steps of Nonviolent Social Change, the defining guide to love-centered action towards addressing humanity’s fundamental issues. Today’s pervasive cancel culture, rhetoric of division and destruction, surging gun violence, war catastrophes, and rampant economic inequities demand global citizens to make the study and practice of nonviolent social change the source for creating a just, humane, equitable and peaceful world.
The observance will inspire, educate, and energize the global community, facilitating the shifts, for students and practitioners of nonviolent principles, steps, and corresponding teachings of Kingian Nonviolence. Current event discussions will also focus on our capacity to create the Beloved Community, addressing the violence and destruction in Ukraine, Gaza, Bethlehem, Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tigris, and other parts of the world; specifically, how Kingian Nonviolence advances a positive affirmation of peace via equitable solutions even during the most intense conflicts.
“My father shared in his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, titled “The Quest for Peace and Justice,” ‘Therefore, I venture to suggest to all of you and all who hear and may eventually read these words that the philosophy and strategy of nonviolence become immediately a subject for study and serious experimentation in every field of human conflict, by no means excluding the relations between nations,’ states Dr. Bernice A. King. “He spoke these words 59 years ago, and as we witness and mourn not only the militarism devastating people in several regions of our world but also the persistence of bigotry, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, hate, apathy, poverty, and even the inhumane use of technology, my father’s words remain critical and relevant today. Shifting the global culture requires the commitment of individuals and leaders across every community and field of human endeavor to become students and practitioners of Kingian Nonviolence. I invite everyone to join us in choosing nonviolence, making the necessary shifts, and being inspired and equipped to do both during The King Center’s 2024 King Holiday Observance.”
Further details will be announced, including opportunities to participate in person, nationwide, and globally. Visit www.thekingcenter.org for a complete schedule and description of events, registration, and sponsorship opportunities. Purchase tickets for The Beloved Community Awards at BCA2024Tickets.
To learn more about Kingian Nonviolence and the coursework offered, visit the Nonviolence365Ò Training page here.
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About The King Center
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is a 501(c) (3) organization established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King. The King Center is the official living memorial and programmatic nonprofit organization committed to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The King Center serves to inspire new generations to carry forward King’s unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change-makers who are continuing his efforts today. The King Center’s premiere educational initiative, Nonviolence365®, is based on Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology. His teachings engage participants from various sectors of society, including emerging and next generation leaders, in modules and exercises that enhance communication, leadership, interpersonal and conflict reconciliation skills.
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