International Fellowship of Reconciliation

Page design and research by: David Posner

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The International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) is an international, spiritually-based movement composed of people who, from the basis of a belief in the power of love and truth to create justice and restore community, commit themselves to active nonviolence as a way of life and as a means of transformation-personal, social, economic and political.

Visit the International Fellowship of Reconciliation on the web

The Fellowship's History

  • The International Fellowship of Reconciliation was first conceived by the British Quakers and the German Lutherans in 1914, but it was officially established in 1919.
  • The Fellowship was originally called the Fellowship of Reconciliation, but in 1934 the organization decided to expand its reach and with that decision they changed the name and outreach emphasis, to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation.
  • Since then the organization has grown into an international peace-keeping presence, that still holds true to its religious ideals.

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Ideals and Beliefs

  • Members must be able to commit themselves to working for peace, no matter what their governments might do.
  • It is important that IFOR members remain committed to the search for nonviolent alternatives to conflict and to be willing to address injustices which lie at the root of conflict.
  • The IFOR will accomplish its goals of non-violence by using education, actions and campaigns, programs for women's and youths' empowerment, by actively providing non-violence as a solution, and by maintaining strong links with higher governing powers.
  • Individually members must also be willing to live lives of active non-violence, pursue a simple life, oppose war, aid those who are oppressed and exploited, actively oppose sexism and racism, and recognize that the present economic system is the cause of world injustices.

The Current Organization

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  • The IFOR is currently located in more than 40 countries on every inhabited continent.
  • It is organized into national and regional chapters, but it avoids differences in separate chapters in order to give the organization unity.
  • The IFOR is currently an active player in the culture of non-violence, non-violence training and education, women peacemaker programs, and youth empowerment programs.
  • The IFOR also holds many conferences on education, empowerment, and peacemaking all over the world.

Questions or comments? Get in touch with IFOR at:

Mailing Address:

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation
Spoorstraat 38
1815 BK Alkmaar
the Netherlands

Phone: Tel: +31 72 512-3014

Information Sources

  • Hedrick, Alice E.  Peaceful Revolution: The Fellowship of Reconciliation and Social Change, 1915-1934.  A thesis presented to the graduate faculty of the University of Virginia in candidacy for the degree of Master of Arts in the year 1965.
  • Raven, Charles E.  Theological Basis of Christian Pacifism.  The Fellowship of Reconciliation, London, 1952.
  • Artin, Tom.  Earth Talk: Independent Voices on the Environment.  Grossman Publishers, New York, 1973.
  • Brock, Peter.  The Roots of War Resistance, Pacifism from the Early Church to Tolstoy.  Fellowship of Reconciliation, New York, 1981.
  • Boulding, Elise.  Cultures of Peace: The Hidden Side of History.  Syracuse University Press, Syracuse Ny, 2000
  • www.ifor.org
  • web.tiscali.it/WIN/027