In the Footsteps of Peacebuilders: Reflections from Montgomery & Selma

This spring the Euphrates board and members of staff visited Montgomery and Selma, Alabama to hold our in person meeting and take a journey through the historical landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement. It was an invitation to reflect on what is being asked of us today. We stood in profound truth-telling spaces that shaped the early history of the United States, honored the countless voices that demanded change, and memorialized the millions who were victims of displacement and violence.

We visited the The Legacy Sites of Montgomery - The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, The Legacy Museum, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. We walked the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Framed by the echoes of the past, our time together stirred a deeper awareness of the present. In the U.S. and around the world we are living in a moment swelling with fear, mistrust, and emotional overload. In this climate of chaos and uncertainty, one of the most vital contributions we can make is Inspiring Humanity to Choose Peace. 

As peacebuilders, we’re being called not only to confront injustice but to create spaces where courage, connection, and compassion can flourish. We must learn to not be consumed by the chaos and conflict. Many in our global community have long lived amidst instability and violence, and their example invites us to respond with greater empathy, presence, and solidarity. Our time in Montgomery reminded us of the strength of choosing and practicing peace daily. Peace must be nurtured within, strengthened through connection, and extended outward into all of our relationships. This inner peace is the place where transformation becomes possible - where we see the possibility of a transformed world.

This retreat also marked a turning point for Euphrates. While our roots are deeply connected to international peacebuilding our experience in Montgomery affirmed the urgency of showing up more intentionally here at home. The struggles for justice, human rights, and the end of violence are not bound by borders. The Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. modeled a strategic foundation for nonviolent resistance sixty years ago and it’s just as relevant in this moment. The examples from this movement and from our community can inform, inspire, and strengthen our efforts within the United States—and vice versa.

The division, disinformation, and dehumanization we face in America today is not new. Our time in Montgomery and Selma highlighted the familiarity. Peacebuilding is not a textbook theory or pie in the sky ideal, it is an essential practice for ending violence and bringing healing to the world. The board and staff retreat called us to rise with greater courage and commitment. To listen more deeply. To hold space for discomfort and dialogue. And this community has everything we need to move forward.

In the spirit of those who marched before us, and in partnership with those who continue to lead movements for peace and justice around the world, we are reaffirming our commitment to choosing and building peace—not just abroad, but here, now, at home.

To read additional reflections from this trip, please click here.