Civilian Defence & Resilience
European leaders are calling for comprehensive defence, putting them on the right track to eventually discover a key ingredient: unarmed civilian-based defence (UCBD) — collective and organized civilian-led action that wields diffuse power by compromising aggressors’ enablers and means, and protecting civilians from, lessening, and slowing aggression.
But they need our help to get there more quickly. Current government-led offerings in emergency preparedness and resilience strengthening do not yet fully take into account this human dimension of conflict. Yet history, and Ukraine today, show us that ordinary people step up to do extraordinary things to protect freedom and human dignity, even without arms or equipment.
The omission of UCBD training of nonmilitary sectors is a strategic gap — at the very moment when key societal actors need inspiration, reassurance, direction, and actionable planning tools and frameworks.
While UCBD lays dormant during peacetime, in wartime humanity rediscovers its innate capacity to collectively protect freedom, dignity, and prosperity — even without military leadership or military means.
If people learn about UCBD in advance, instead of discovering it by accident, they can be more effective at it — and even deter aggression.
ONM is developing the Pinpoints of Resilience project to contextualize UCBD preparedness and education — bringing theoretical frameworks for understanding asymmetrical conflict, case studies worldwide and throughout history, strategic planning tools, practical tools, and scenario development exercises.
This initiative operationalizes democratic and civic resilience, has a short runway, fosters sustainable actions and security autonomy. Our partners will directly shape the future peace and prosperity of Europe.
Pinpoints of Resilience: Veterans
Already launched. A co-creation subproject developed with Ukrainian and European veterans, channeling lived wartime experience into actionable civilian resilience frameworks — peer-learning at its most direct.
Pinpoints of Resilience: Workplace Identities
Already launched. Tailored UCBD frameworks for corporate teams and professional organisations — helping companies understand their role in comprehensive defence and build internal civic resilience.
Contextualizing UCBD
The overarching Pinpoints of Resilience project complements emergency preparedness guidance recently released by governments across Europe and growing NGO efforts to train populations in UCBD — with deeper strategic and practical frameworks.
Paris Defence & Security Forum 2026. ONM Director Amber French-Griette moderates a panel entitled, “The Democracy Arsenal: Ukraine’s Civic Power against Putin, Strategic Insights.”
Complementing government efforts
The Pinpoints of Resilience umbrella project works alongside emergency preparedness brochures recently released by governments across Europe, as well as increasing NGO efforts to train populations in UCBD — providing deeper theoretical grounding and strategic planning tools.
Who we work with
Defence ministries, NATO-adjacent bodies, military academies, corporate teams, think tanks, and civil society organisations across Europe and Ukraine.
