 When we look at countries in conflict, we often find that the social contract between governments and their citizens has been broken. This situation can turn violent when people are faced with injustice, when they feel marginalized, when their universal human rights are violated, and when they can't hold their governments accountable. But there are more effective ways for people to challenge the status quo without resorting to violence. Two alternatives are nonviolent action and peace building. So when we talk about nonviolent action, we're talking about ordinary people acting collectively against injustice. They form movements that rely on mass participation, strategic planning, and a shared commitment to bringing about change without violence. When we turn on our TVs and see large diverse groups of people marching in the streets, staging sit-ins in government buildings, overfitting the city with messages of change, what we're seeing is nonviolent action or people power at work. Peace building, on the other hand, is a long-term process that relies on relationship building and creative solutions to get at the root causes of conflict. This looks more like peace talks between warring parties, community dialogues involving diverse actors in government and civil society, or signed peace agreements aimed at creating sustainable outcomes. Peace building and nonviolent action have both been successful on their own, but our work at USIP shows that these approaches are far more effective when used together. Nonviolent action can help peace building efforts by spreading awareness of key issues. More awareness across society leads to more people mobilizing for change. Together, they can change the balance of power, giving peace builders greater leverage in negotiations and creating a stronger mandate for change. On the other hand, peace building's emphasis on relationships and trust building can help bridge divides among activist groups and create common bonds across society. And peace building tactics can translate people power into policy changes. It can channel the energy of mass movements into actionable demands and constructive policy recommendations. In short, this combination can help move from the no of resistance to the yes of inclusion and justice. By strategically integrating peace building and nonviolent action, we can find a better way to make sustainable peace possible.