Dear
friend, |
We
hope you're getting excited about the work we’re
doing, and how your voice can help make a
difference. To give you a better sense of our
impact, here is our movement’s story of 2020
:)
| |
January
-- 2020 was born in flames, scorching Australia
in wildfires so big you could see them from
space. Our movement didn't waste a second,
raising critical funds to help the forests
recover, rescue injured and starving koalas,
kangaroos and other wildlife, and support
climate champions across Australia.
Rescued
wildlife safe in the hands of volunteer carers
and vets in New South Wales,
Australia. February
-- As the world woke to the nightmare of the
Uyghur people, an ethnic minority locked up in
China’s brutal labour camps, Avaaz members
rallied to free them: pushing for sanctions,
pressuring the world's largest pension fund to
divest from a massive Chinese surveillance
company, and urging the UN Human Rights Chief to
start investigating. March
-- As Covid cases soared, almost 800,000
of us called on world leaders to cancel the debt
of the world's poorest countries,
freeing up precious funds to save lives. We
joined forces for a global day of action, and
saw the call for debt relief backed by the Pope,
heads of state, and over 150 former presidents.
So far, 46 countries have been able to defer
billions of dollars in crippling debt payments
-- and we're not done yet! April
-- As the world went into lockdown, Avaaz
members everywhere opened our hearts by creating
over a thousand ‘Viral Kindness’ groups to
provide help to communities as the pandemic
surged. But that wasn’t all! Over 2
million of us backed the UN Chief’s call for a
global ceasefire -- and the Security Council
went on to adopt it! Now the pressure
needs to stay on to make sure it’s actually
being implemented. May
-- As Covid unleashed an epidemic of poverty and
hunger, we didn’t look away! Over 130,000
Avaaz members funded life-saving aid in
23 countries. In India alone, we provided five
and half million meals to people in dire
need. FIVE AND HALF MILLION! We also
published an open letter from top doctors in the
New York Times, catching the attention of social
media executives -- and getting Facebook to show
corrections to dangerous health
misinformation.
“We are not
beggars. We collect garbage daily to sell it,
but due to lockdown and fear of coronavirus we
cannot sell it. This will help us to feed our
hungry children.”
Akbar, a
garbage picker from the Pakhiwas community in
Pakistan (not
pictured) June
-- Brazilian Avaazers have been fighting all
year for a groundbreaking law to protect
democracy and fight disinformation in their
country. After massive public pressure, a law
was approved by the Senate, despite vicious
lobbying from big tech companies. There’s a long
way to go, but 2021 could see us finally
winning a people's law against
disinformation -- and taking it global!
|
July
-- When Covid crippled wildlife protection
funds, Avaaz members piled in to protect the
jobs of wildlife rangers and help power an
awesome team of undercover investigators.
They've exposed powerful poaching rings, leading
to 849 criminal investigations, and the
arrest of 50 major wildlife traffickers in
Cameroon, Gabon, Benin, and Senegal.
And they’re still going! August
-- Then the unthinkable happened: a terrifying
blast tore through Beirut and 300,000 people
became homeless in an instant. Thanks to
Avaazers around the world, critical funding was
on the ground in days, aiding rescue operations
and providing emergency supplies and shelter for
thousands of families. Meanwhile, we continued
our investigations on health misinformation with
a groundbreaking report that made headlines
around the world! September
-- By now, Amazon tribes deep in the rainforest
were being ravaged by Covid. Indigenous
communities were mobilising to save lives but
they needed resources that Amazon governments
refused to provide. That’s where we came
in -- providing life-saving funds so
they could set up clinics, purchase testing
kits, and deliver crucial medical supplies
across the forest. We supported over 35,000
families and helped save unique cultures from
disappearing. Unbelievable!
This is a
map of the Amazon rainforest (dark grey), each
red dot is a Covid-19 hotspot, and the blue are
Amazon communities supported by the Avaaz relief
fund. October
-- And we never took our eyes off the planet.
When Europe proposed a powerful new
anti-deforestation law, Avaazers flooded the
consultation, helping to make it the
biggest response the EU has ever had on an
environmental issue! We took on a
killer oil pipeline in East Africa, and pushed
to ensure that a massive new trade deal
safeguards the Amazon. It’s not won yet, but
we're on our way! November
-- Throughout 2020, this movement worked
non-stop to defend American democracy from
disinformation. We launched over 32
investigations that uncovered vast networks
spreading toxic misinformation, and pushed
Facebook to take action against pages and groups
that have racked up some 3 BILLION views over
the last year. Our impact was widely covered
from the New
York Times to CNN,
the Washington
Post and the
Economist to name a few.
“I believe
that fighting against disinformation and hate
spread across social media is the next big civil
rights fight of our
lifetime.”
Joyce Jones, US
Mayoral Candidate, whose campaign was
attacked by a swarm of viral lies and
disinformation. December
-- After months of painstaking climate
campaigning, EU leaders agreed to slash carbon
pollution by at least 55%. Avaazers across
Europe lobbied their governments and funded
hard-hitting ads to help ensure this major
climate breakthrough. Not sure if all
the public pressure made a difference? The EU
President personally thanked us for motivating
her!
Some of the
powerful climate ads we've run in major papers
this year. |
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We
did all this -- and so much more! Our beautiful
movement of 65 million people, from every
country on this incredible planet. And you're
now part of it. Every time we're told
that humanity is selfish and broken, remember
this: in a year of fear and lockdown, we all
rose together, opening our hearts with
compassion for hundreds of thousands of people,
everywhere. That is who we
are. From the bottom of our hearts,
welcome again, and thank you for everything
there is to come, Mike, Noor, Sofia,
Raul, Ine, Hui-Ting, Nana, Christoph, Bert and
the whole team at Avaaz
Want to help Avaaz have even more impact?
Every single thing our movement does is 100%
powered by small donations from Avaaz members.
Major decisions are looming on the climate
crisis, defending democracy, protecting nature
and standing up for human rights. Will
you chip in a weekly donation to make Avaaz’s
crucial work possible in 2021 and
beyond?
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