Avaaz.org: The World in Action

As major new challenges like climate change and escalating religious conflict threaten our common future, people from around the world are coming together to take global politics into their own hands. Avaaz.org (Our name means "Voice" or "Song" in several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Farsi, Nepalese, Dari, Turkish, and Bosnian) is a community of global citizens who take action on the major issues facing the world today. Our aim is to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people -- and not just political elites and unaccountable corporations -- shape global decisions. Avaaz.org members are taking action for a more just and peaceful world and a vision of globalization with a human face. In our inter-connected world, the actions of political leaders and corporations are having a profound impact on all of us. To match the power and reach of global leaders and borderless corporations, Avaaz.org members are building a powerful movement of citizens without borders. As citizens without borders, we might not have the resources of governments, corporations or the media, but working together we can bring together millions of people around the world and make global public opinion really count on major global issues like poverty, climate change, human rights and global security. Using the latest technology, Avaaz.org empowers ordinary people from every corner of the globe to directly contact key global decision-makers, corporations and the media. By signing up to receive updates from Avaaz.org, members receive emails and text messages alerting them to new campaigns and opportunities to act online and offline, and to make a real difference on pressing global issues. Avaaz.org was co-founded by Res Publica, a global civic advocacy group, and MoveOn.org, an online community that has pioneered internet advocacy in the United States. Avaaz.org was developed and established by a group of social entrepeneurs who have worked at the intersection of global justice issues and new online organizing techniques. Avaaz.org’s individual co-founders are Executive Director Ricken Patel, Jeremy Heimans, David Madden, Eli Pariser, Tom Perriello, Tom Pravda and Andrea Woodhouse. Avaaz.org is managed by a small team of campaigners on four continents. The Avaaz team conducts research on campaigns, prepares rapid-response Avaaz action alerts and notifies the media of Avaaz.org campaigns. Our campaign team consults with Avaaz.org members to develop campaigns and uses their feedback to set the priorities of the organisation. Avaaz.org also enjoys the partnership and support of leading activist organizations from around the world, including the Service Employees International Union, a founding partner of Avaaz, GetUp.org.au, and many others.