Dear friends,
In just over 18 months, the Avaaz community has grown to an amazing 3.3 million people from every country of the world, an average growth of over 40,000 people per week! Working in 13 languages, Avaaz members have taken almost 8 million actions, donated over 2.5 million Euro ($3.5 million), and told 30 million friends about Avaaz campaigns. A wonderful new source of global community and democracy is being created, and we've started to win real victories to close the gap between the world we have and the world we want.
We've built a simple report back page to make sure that everyone can stay up to date with most of the campaigns and their results, visit it anytime at the link below:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2
Campaign Update -- May-July 2008
In just the last 3 months, Avaaz members helped to get the first global treaty banning cluster bombs, ran an ad campaign that reached 1 million Israelis arguing for a Gaza ceasefire to ease the humanitarian crisis there (the ceasefire is now in place, and holding!), and helped to build a large wave of criticism of leaders at the G8 summit who failed to take effective action on climate change. After President Al Bashir of Sudan was indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Darfur, Bashir urged personally newspaper editors not to carry an Avaaz member-funded ad campaign calling for his arrest.
Below is a quick summary of campaigning developments on Israel and Palestine, the food crisis, Zimbabwe, climate change, China, Tibet, and the Olympics, Darfur, cluster bombs, and more. On all of these issues, much more remains to be done -- but we have contributed in powerful ways. Congratulations and tremendous thanks to everyone who has helped make all this possible!
China, Tibet, and the Olympics
More than 175,000 Avaaz members have joined a global handshake chain -- launched by the Dalai Lama, carried through London by a 2000-person chain of Avaaz members to the Chinese Embassy, and then racing around the world online. A positive symbol of constructive dialogue, the handshake now heads to the Olympics themselves, through dozens of Avaaz members attending as spectators and a media blitz.
To amplify the handshake's message, Avaaz members have funded ads in Chinese publications from Hong Kong to California, launched a Chinese-language Avaaz sister site, hired "mobile and walking billboards" in New York's and London's Chinatowns -- among a host of other tactics. You can still join the global handshake here before it lands in Beijing at this link.
Zimbabwe
More than 400,000 Avaaz members, including tens of thousands in Africa, have taken action to support democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe. This past weekend, South African trade unionists marched to a regional summit in Johannesburg with Zimbabwean refugees and civil society groups carrying a sea of red cards for Mugabe -- and holding banners representing the more than 75,000 virtual red cards sent by Avaaz members last week. Avaaz members have contacted governments around the world, urging non-recognition of Mugabe's regime; funded ad campaigns globally and throughout Southern Africa; and even flown a 280-sq-metre banner over the United Nations to press South Africa's Mbeki to push harder in his role as mediator between Mugabe and the opposition MDC. The summit is over, but our campaign for the end of the Mugabe era is not.
Israel and Palestine
215,000 Avaaz members, including citizens of both Israel and Palestine, have driven Avaaz campaigning for a just two-state peace in the Middle East -- and, this year, for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. A major print-and-online advertising campaign for the ceasefire reached more than 1 million Israelis this June. Within a week, a truce was signed -- encouraging the Avaaz community to play an ongoing role, large and small, in helping to resolve this conflict.
G8 and climate change
More than 250,000 Avaaz members urged the G8 leaders to adopt firm targets to cut climate emissions by the year 2020, signing a petition that was hand-delivered to G8 chair Japan's prime minister. During the summit negotiations, however, the US, Canada, and Japan refused 2020 targets -- so Avaaz called them out in a satirical full-page, full-color ad in the global Financial Times drawing on the Japanese "Hello Kitty" cartoon. The ad, funded with small donations from 2,000 Avaaz members worldwide, sparked coverage in media outlets from the New York Times to the Nikkei Business Daily. Coverage of reactions from Avaaz and other groups ensured that Canada's Stephen Harper and other leaders couldn't spin their way out of accountability for blocking progress on this urgent issue -- and with climate change a key issue in coming elections, hopes for change (and our campaigning plans) are growing.
Food crisis
Responding to a video appeal for international support from the Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone, 342,197 Avaaz members signed petitions urging governments to take action on the food crisis. In May, Avaaz staff hand-delivered their message to UN chief Ban Ki-Moon at an emergency food summit in Rome. Moon, in turn, used the petition with the press and global leaders to build his urgent case for action on food prices and practices. As the food crisis deepens, we are redoubling our efforts in support of the hungry, marginalised and poverty-stricken.
Darfur
To counter Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir's claim that the International Criminal Court is a "Western Crusade," Avaaz launched a major Arabic-media ad campaign. More than 4500 Avaaz members from 80 countries donated funding to run the ads throughout the region, which put Bush and Bashir together as opponents of the Court, throughout the region. Bashir, infuriated, read that one newspaper had rejected the ad -- and personally invited its editor to visit Sudan and accept his thanks. The dust-up has created a splash in Arab media. Our campaigning will continue until the genocide ends and al-Bashir is brought to justice.
Other highlights
When a 120-country summit to ban cluster bombs was at risk of failure, more than 160,000 Avaaz members emailed world leaders to urge a strong treaty free of loopholes and delays. The campaign made waves with negotiators inside the conference and headlines in Finland and the International Herald Tribune -- and a firm treaty was agreed in the final days.
Avaaz members raised over $2 million in aid after the Burma cyclone, channeled directly to those at greatest need through monks and aid workers inside the country.
As the UN launched a closed process to choose its new UN Human Rights Commissioner, Avaaz placed a mock job advertisement in The Economist. The ad, and a companion blog, helped bring transparency to the appointment and public voices to global governance.
It can seem as though every week brings a new crisis or international emergency. As human beings, we have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters, no matter where they are in the world. But it is inspiring to know that none of us is alone -- that there are millions around the world sharing our concerns and joining with us to take action when it matters most.
Avaaz is based on a simple idea: that global public opinion should shape global decision-making. When we take action, we may not win every battle -- but together, over time, we can change the field on which the battles are fought. We are already making a difference, and our voices are growing stronger. This is only the beginning.
Warmly,
Ricken, Ben, Brett, Paul, Graziela, Pascal, Iain, Veronique, and Milena -- the Avaaz team
PS: For more information, or to leave a comment, you can always to go this page: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2
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ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.
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