Bystanders No More is rooted in the belief that people power democracies. We are a multinational, unfunded, volunteer group of regular people – concerned citizens, parents, teachers, artists, business professionals – with a strong sense of right and wrong. We know that as silent bystanders start to speak up, it will become increasingly untenable for our governments to ignore or dismiss the will of the people.
We got started one step at a time.
We invite you to explore our path.
Step 1
Listen.
A quick, anonymous (practitioner) survey helped us understand the most common reasons why some people who are supportive of human rights have chosen to take action for Palestinians whilst others have not. Responses guided us in supporting passive allies and open-minded neutrals (see ‘Social Barometer’ graphic below) who are silent but may be willing to break their silence.
Step 2
Learn.
A mix of insightful information from credible sources is shared to motivate people to engage in a more meaningful way. Our emphasis is not on telling people what to say but rather providing information and choices beyond what the mainstream media tend to offer.
Step 3
Act.
A public stance is the goal, and it can be achieved in multiple ways. We hope to make it easier for regular people to lobby elected officials as well as speak with friends, family, and colleagues about humanitarian needs in Palestine – all of this is important, and none of it requires us to be experts or have all the answers.
Bystanders No More prioritises the people we believe can be moved in the direction of taking action in support of justice – the compassionate but hesitant folks in the middle. We are not targeting leading opponents or leading activists, nor are we assuming a long-term role in this struggle. We encourage all who come in contact with this project to support existing groups doing important and ongoing work for human rights and humanitarian support in Palestine.
WHO WE ARE
- Eller: British, PhD researcher, consultant & social entrepreneur
- Ffiona: Welsh/Irish, organisational psychology & social entrepreneur
- Gianna: USA, Leadership Coach & Consultant, Equity Facilitator
- James: USA, energy & sustainability writer
- Jeremy: Australian, writer and media & comms specialist
- Joe: Canada, strategy & change management
- Melissa: USA/Mexico, renewable energy leader & artist against apartheid
- Raj: British/Sri Lankan, retired medical doctor & social entrepreneur
- Razya: British/Pakistani, researcher & writer
- Sarah: USA, environmental justice researcher and consultant & former university professor
- Parth: Indian, decolonial writer, researcher & trauma therapist
- Pooja: Indian/Australian, ex-academic supporting equitable systems of research & knowledge production