Dear amazing Avaazers,
If you ever doubt that our efforts together are worth
it, or if you're just needing a bit of hope and light in your
day, read on.
Bet you won't be able to stop :).
Avaaz Movement Wins 2016 (So Far!!)
For
years, Icelandic millionaire badboy Kristjan Loftsson has
massacred hundreds of endangered giant fin whales. But no
more!! Working with allies, a million of us pressed the Dutch
government to close their ports to him, then German Avaazers
helped to block ports there too. Then we caused a
media
and political storm in the Caribbean where Loftsson’s ship
was registered. After years of pressure, he’s called off the
hunt!
“The global
pressure brought by the Avaaz community has no doubt played a
big role in Loftsson’s welcome
decision.”
- Vanessa Williams-Grey,
Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
Saudi Arabia is a human rights nightmare, but after
they bombed schools and hospitals in Yemen, calls rose in
Europe for an arms embargo. When EU politicians started to
waver under the pressure of powerful Saudi lobbyists, 740,000
Avaazers weighed in, flooding members of parliament with
messages and calls. And we won -- for the first time in
history, a Western parliament voted to ban arms sales to Saudi
Arabia! Now the pressure is on for governments to follow the
European lead.
"We’ve received
calls from Scotland to France to Yemen calling for action,
Avaaz played a major role to bring this message to the
European Parliament."
- Alyn Smith, Member of
European Parliament
Monsanto’s
glyphosate weedkiller is everywhere, providing much of the
mega-corporation’s revenue. So when UN experts said it likely
causes cancer, 1.5 million of us called to ban it! With Europe
set to re-approve its licence for 15 years, Avaaz delivered
our petition and thousands of us sent urgent messages to our
governments. In the final hour, support collapsed, and the EU
commission was forced to postpone the vote! We’ll keep the
pressure up until we get the ban our planet needs.
“The Avaaz
campaign helped to raise awareness and concern of the general
public about glyphosate. This helped me as a parliamentarian
to work on this issue… Stay with us in this
fight”
- Pavel Poc, MEP and Vice
Chair of the Environment, Health and Food Safety Committee for
the European Parliament.
After
horrendous civilian death in Gaza, almost 2 million of us
called on 6 major companies to stop profiting from the Israeli
military occupation of Palestine. Our movement sent messages
to CEOs, held rallies from London to Ramallah, met with
government and corporate officials, and lobbied other
countries to cut ties with those companies. And as of last
month, 3 of the 6 have pulled out!! It’s a tactic that's
having impact in the struggle for freedom and peace.
“The 1.8 million
signature Avaaz petition was powerful, and we hope that Avaaz
members will continue
campaigning.”
- Mahmoud Nawajaa, BDS
Civil Society Coordinator in Palestine
Thousands
of Syrian children seeking refuge are lost in Europe, without
their parents and preyed upon by child traffickers. That’s why
40,000 of us donated to fund lawyers to find them, provide
legal support, and get them to safety. Dozens of children are
already being helped. And just this week, three boys arrived
in London and were reunited with their families for the first
time in months!
"Nothing I could
say could convey how grateful I truly am to all of you. Thank
you from the bottom of my heart."
- One of the boys on
arriving in the UK
The Prime Minister of Somalia just joined over a
million of us by signing our petition to support a full ban on
female genital mutilation! Somali women’s rights experts told
us that global pressure could help them outlaw female genital
mutilation -- but we never imagined that the Somali Prime
Minister, Foreign Minister, and dynamic Minister for Women and
Human Rights would respond by signing the petition, too!
Working with these leaders, UNICEF and survivors, it’s now
likely that FGM, done to 98% of Somali women, will become
illegal!
“I am committed
to outlaw FGM in Somalia through legislation, advocacy,
education, and community
engagement.”
- Somali Prime Minister,
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmark, as he signed our
petition.
Shining Our Light in
2016 These battles are part of deeper
struggles -- between forces of love and fear, hope and
despair, ignorance and understanding. Sometimes Avaaz
campaigns are about shining our movement’s light into these
struggles, to help shift our culture and politics. Here's some
awesome light-shining examples from the last few months:
Inspired
by Greek fishermen and pensioners who have saved and cared for
thousands of desperate refugee families, Avaaz member,
Alkmini, started a petition to nominate these unsung heroes
for the Nobel Peace Prize. Then more than 600,000 of us backed
the request, and Desmond Tutu endorsed an official submission
by 230 academics to the Nobel Committee.This moving story of
humanity triumphing over fear captured the world’s media from
CNN
to
the
BBC.
"In times when
fear and racism are threatening our societies and Europe is
raising fences, the big mobilisation of Avaaz members made the
voice of humanity echo loudly around the
world."
- Co-Founder of the Leros
Solidarity Network, Matina Katsiveli
After
decades of silence, 14 brave women just went to court to
confront the Guatemalan generals who kept them as sex slaves.
As they entered the courtroom we surrounded them with love,
delivering messages from over 40,000 Avaaz members across
Latin America. The women’s courage prevailed and for the first
time ever these generals were convicted of crimes against
humanity!
"I was happy to
hear the messages of support. I know I'm not alone, and I
wanted to uncover my face when I heard that there are people
all around the world that support
me."
- One of the women, Doña
Rosa
After women were attacked on New Year's Eve in
Germany, a flood of racism and xenophobia spread. Refugee men
responded by handing out flowers to women on the streets as a
show of respect. To return the gesture and show solidarity and
welcome, a hundred female Avaaz members went out to
hand flowers back to refugees in Cologne, the site of the
attacks. Their video went viral!
"Refugee men
handed out flowers to women as a sign of peace. As Avaaz
members we wanted to reciprocate this courageous gesture to
show that we counter hate with
humanity."
- Maresa, Avaaz
member
Achh, that stuff just lifts your
heart doesn't it?
The really crazy part is, those
stories are a small fraction of our movement's work together
over the last few months!
What we're doing matters,
we're winning, and we're winning in a way that is building the
kind of world we dream of for our children. There is much to
do, but this is a moment for gratitude for the 43 million
scrumptiously wonderful people in this beautiful movement.
What a joy it is to do this together.
Thank you, thank
you, thank you!!!!
With love and gratitude,
Ricken, Alice, Ben, Maria Paz, Emily, Risalat, Mike,
Lisa, and the whole Avaaz team.
PS -- a big reason
Avaaz can do all this is we are 100% funded by small
individual donations -- no corporate, government, foundation,
or large donor money. To keep it all going, click here:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/reportback_fr_16mar/?bUSymfb&v=74381&cl=9707468142