{{short description|Nonprofit organization to promote global activism}} {{update|date=November 2020}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox organization | name = Avaaz | logo = AVAAZlogo.png | logo_size = 200px | focus = Global community and political activism | founded = {{start date and age|2007|1}} | num_members = 68,919,190 (as of April 2, 2025) | region_served = Worldwide | website = {{URL|http://www.avaaz.org/en/|avaaz.org}} }} {{Blacklisted-links|invisible=true}}<!--tag should prevent re-adding-->
'''Avaaz''' is a US-based nonprofit organization launched in 2007 that promotes global activism on issues such as climate change, human rights, animal rights, corruption, poverty, and conflict. The word ''avaaz'' means 'voice' in several Asian and European languages.<ref name=Wiktionary1>{{Wiktionary|avaz}}</ref><ref name=Wiktionary2>{{Wiktionary|आवाज़}}</ref> In 2012, ''The Guardian'' referred to Avaaz as "the globe's largest and most powerful online activist network".<ref>{{cite news |last=Pilkington |first=Ed |title=Avaaz faces questions over role at centre of Syrian protest movement |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/02/avaaz-activist-group-syria |access-date=27 November 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=March 2, 2012}}.</ref>
==Funding, campaigns and management== On the topic of funding, ''The Guardian'' newspaper noted that "Since 2009, Avaaz has not taken donations from foundations or corporations, nor has it accepted payments of more than $5,000 (£3,100)". The newspaper described Avaaz funding as follows: "Instead, it relies simply on the generosity of individual members, who have now raised over $20m (£12.4m)."<ref name=slacktivism>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/20/avaaz-activism-slactivism-clicktivism|title=Avaaz: activism or 'slacktivism'?|date=20 July 2011|first=Patrick |last=Kingsley|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> Before 2009, various foundations had funded Avaaz's staff and start-up costs.<ref name=bbc-20120229>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17199253 |title=Profile: Global campaign group Avaaz |work=BBC News |date=29 February 2012 |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>
Members are identified as anyone who visits the main web site and adds their name via the "Join" link. Alternatively, a virtual account is created for anyone who signs a petition or engages in any other action on the site, such as making a donation or starting a campaign. A virtual account is changed into a subscription via other on-line confirmation methods.
===Global campaigns selection process=== Avaaz global campaigns are managed by a team of campaigners working from more than 30 countries, including the UK, India, Lebanon and Brazil. These campaigners communicate with members via email; they employ campaigning tactics including online public petitions, videos, and email-your-leader tools. In some cases, Avaaz also uses advertisements; solicits legal advice on how best to take a campaign forward;<ref name=slacktivism/> and stages "sit-ins, rallies, phone-ins and media friendly stunts".<ref name=times>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/48808533/The-Times-profile-of-Avaaz-and-Ricken-Patel-Feb-9-2011|title=The Times profile of Avaaz and Ricken Patel|date=9 February 2011|first=Sarah|last=Bentley|work=The Times}}</ref> One example of such a stunt is "taking a herd of cardboard pigs to the doors of the World Health Organization to demand an investigation into the link between swine flu and giant pig farms."<ref name="times" /> Another example is "creating a three-mile human chain handshake from the Dalai Lama to the doors of the Chinese Embassy in London to request dialogue between the parties."<ref name=times/>
Suggestions for campaigns are contributed by members and supplemented by guidance from specialist teams. Once a suggestion has been identified as promising, tester emails are sent to 10,000 Avaaz members as a poll; if these emails receive a sufficient response, the campaign is opened to all Avaaz members.<ref name=slacktivism/> In 2010, ''The Economist'' suggested that "the way Avaaz bunches unlikely causes together may be an asset in a world where campaigns, like race and class, can still segregate people, not reconcile them".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/international/2010/09/02/a-town-crier-in-the-global-village|title=A town crier in the global village|date=2 September 2010|newspaper=The Economist}}</ref>
==Politics and rationale== Avaaz claims to unite practical idealists from around the world.<ref name=times/> Former director Ricken Patel said in 2011: "We have no ideology per se. Our mission is to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want. Idealists of the world unite!"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/apr/24/avaaz-activist-network-rupert-murdoch|title=Avaaz – the online activist network that is targeting Rupert Murdoch's bid|first=Ed |last=Pilkington |date=25 April 2011|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> In practice, Avaaz often supports causes that are considered progressive, such as calling for global action on climate change, challenging Monsanto, and building greater global support for refugees.<ref name=time-20140922>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/nyregion/new-york-city-climate-change-march.html?_r=0|title=Taking a Call for Climate Change to the Streets |first=Lisa |last=Foderaro |newspaper=The New York Times |date=21 September 2014 |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref><ref name=time-20160806>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.eu/article/europes-weedkiller-wars-glyphosate-roundup-who-european-commission/ |title=How grassroots lobbying push blindsided Monsanto |first1=Jenny |last1=Hopkinson |first2=Giulia |last2=Paravicini |publisher=Politico |date=6 August 2016 |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref><ref name=time-20160330>{{cite news |url=http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2016/3/56fb98dc3/un-secretary-general-says-help-needed-syrian-refugees.html |title=UN Secretary General says more help needed for Syrian refugees |first=Karin |last=de Grujil |publisher=UNHCR |date=30 March 2016 |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>
During the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, Avaaz set up Internet proxy servers that allowed protesters to upload videos onto public websites.<ref name=time-20120315>{{cite magazine |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2109212,00.html |title=How a New York City-Based Activist Group Became a Player in Syria |first=Vivienne |last=Walt |magazine=Time |date=15 March 2012 |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>
Avaaz supported the establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya, which led to military intervention in the country in 2011. Avaaz was criticized for this pro-intervention stance in the media and blogs.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hilary|first=John|title=Internet activists should be careful what they wish for in Libya|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/10/internet-activists-libya-no-fly-zone|access-date=8 November 2016|work=The Guardian|date=10 March 2011}}</ref>
Avaaz supported the civil uprising phase of the Syrian Civil War. This support included sending $1.5 million of Internet communications equipment to protesters, as well as training activists. Later Avaaz used smuggling routes to send more than $2 million of medical equipment into rebel-held areas of Syria. Avaaz also smuggled 34 international journalists into Syria.<ref name=bbc-20120229/><ref name=guardian-20120302>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/02/avaaz-activist-group-syria |title=Avaaz faces questions over role at centre of Syrian protest movement |first=Ed |last=Pilkington |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 March 2012 |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> Avaaz coordinated the evacuation of wounded British photographer Paul Conroy from Homs; thirteen Syrian activists died during this operation.<ref name=bbc-20120229/><ref name=npr-20120314>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/03/13/148542026/aid-groups-role-in-syria-pushes-limits |title=Aid Group's Role In Syria Pushes Limits |first=Deborah |last=Amos |publisher=National Public Radio |date=14 March 2012 |access-date=10 October 2016}}</ref> Some senior members of other non-governmental organizations working in the Middle East have criticized Avaaz for taking sides in a civil war.<ref name=time-20120315/> As of November 2016, Avaaz continued campaigning for no-fly zones over Syria, particularly over Aleppo. (Gen. Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, stated that establishing a no-fly zone would have been interpreted as starting a war against Syria and Russia.<ref name=Dunford>{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmE9Jj-rEVs |title=No-fly zone would 'require war with Syria and Russia' – top US general}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>) Avaaz has received criticism from parts of the political blogosphere; up to nine percent of its users oppose the petitions, with a number of users ultimately leaving the network. The Avaaz team responded to this criticism by issuing two statements defending their decision to campaign.
During the 2016 United States presidential election, Avaaz campaigned against Donald Trump (using the slogan "Defeat Donald Trump") and developed a software tool to simplify overseas voter registration.<ref name=wp-20160916>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/09/16/online-activists-say-this-group-could-swing-the-presidential-election/ |title=Online activists say this group could swing the presidential election |first=Steven | last=Overly |newspaper=Washington Post |date=16 September 2016 |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>
Avaaz opposed 21st Century Fox's bid to take over the pan-European broadcasting company Sky plc. As part of this opposition, Avaaz brought Wendy Walsh—who alleges that she was sexually harassed at Fox News—to London in May 2017 to testify for British media regulator Ofcom.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 May 2017|title='Block Fox bid for Sky', says ex-guest claiming harassment|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39849576|website=BBC}}</ref> In September 2017, Avaaz took legal action in the British High Court of Justice, by seeking a judicial review of Ofcom's decision not to recommend rejection of the takeover.<ref name=variety-20170929>{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/group-opposed-fox-sky-takeover-files-legal-challenge-against-regulator-decision-1202576255/ |title=Group Opposed to Fox-Sky Takeover Files Legal Challenge Against British Regulator |last=Mitchell |first=Robert |work=Variety |date=29 September 2017 |access-date=24 October 2017}}</ref> Bloomberg described Avaaz as "the fly in the ointment of Murdoch's Sky bid".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hellier|first=David|date=14 September 2017|title=The Fly in the Ointment of Murdoch's Sky Bid|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-14/murdoch-s-bid-delay-spotlights-role-of-little-known-activists|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> When Murdoch withdrew his bid for Sky, Ian Burrell commented that this "represents a victory for the civic activist group Avaaz, which has relentlessly campaigned against a takeover which seemed inevitable".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ian|first=Burrell|date=17 December 2017|title=Fox Disney deal positions House of Mouse as major UK news player|work=iNews|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/media/fox-disney-deal-positions-house-mouse-major-uk-news-player-111357|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref>
==Monsanto subpoena== In January 2018, Monsanto requested Avaaz to hand over all documents that the organization held in connection with glyphosate.<ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request">{{cite web |last1=Neslen |first1=Arthur |title=Monsanto demands Avaaz hands over all of its campaign data |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/23/monsanto-demands-avaaz-hands-over-all-of-its-campaign-data |website=The Guardian |date=23 February 2018 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> Lawyers for the company said they planned to use the documentation for their own defence in an upcoming court case; this case involved two plaintiffs in the US state of Missouri, who claimed that their cancer was caused by exposure to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.<ref name="DTE Monsanto Defeat">{{cite web |last1=Varshney |first1=Vibha |title=US court quashes Monsanto's 'undemocratic' plea to Avaaz to hand over internal documents |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/us-court-quashes-monsanto-s-undemocratic-plea-to-avaaz-to-hand-over-internal-documents-61551 |website=DownToEarth.org |date=7 September 2018 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request" /><ref name="Taz Monsanto defeat">{{cite news |title=Sieg gegen Monsanto |url=http://taz.de/Pestizidfirma-wollte-Papiere-von-Avaaz/!5533969/ |newspaper=Die Tageszeitung: Taz |date=7 September 2018 |publisher=taz.de |access-date=8 September 2018|last1=Maurin |first1=Jost }}</ref> Avaaz argued that a successful subpoena would have a "chilling effect" on the group's work.<ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request" /> On September 5, 2018, a New York judge sided with Avaaz. The judge stated that the subpoena "risked 'chilling' free speech and political activity",<ref name="Law360 Monsanto Defeat">{{cite web |last1=Newsham |first1=Jack |title=Monsanto Can't Round Up Chemical Docs From Advocacy Org |url=https://www.law360.com/lifesciences/articles/1080321/monsanto-can-t-round-up-chemical-docs-from-advocacy-org |website=Law360 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> and he argued that Monsanto's request was "anti-democratic".<ref name="Taz Monsanto defeat" />
== Reception == Some people question whether Avaaz's focus on online petitions and email campaigns may encourage laziness, transforming potential activism into clicktivism.<ref name=slacktivism/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104302141|title=Foreign Policy: Brave New World Of Slacktivism|author=Evgeny Morozov|date=2009-05-19|publisher=NPR}}</ref> Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell objects that petition tools do not create "close-knit, disciplined and tenacious" networks of activists.<ref name=moreintelligentlife>{{cite journal|url=https://www.1843magazine.com/content/features/robert-butler/man-behind-avaaz?page=full |title=The man behind Avaaz |journal=1843 |first=Robert |last=Butler |date=25 December 2013 |issue=May/June 2013 |access-date=4 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell|title=Small Change|first=Malcolm |last=Gladwell|date=4 October 2010|magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref> In February 2012, Avaaz raised money for the evacuation of Paul Conroy from Syria, a mission that led to the deaths of 13 activists in Syria.<ref name=moreintelligentlife/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/feb/28/syrian-activists-paul-conroy-mission|title=Syrian activists killed in Paul Conroy rescue mission|first=Peter|last=Beaumont|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 February 2012}}</ref> A ''New Republic'' article accused Avaaz of making false claims about their own role in this evacuation.<ref name=moreintelligentlife/><ref>{{cite magazine|last=van Zuylen-Wood|first=Simon|title=The Great Escape: Has One NGO Been Lying About Its Role in Syria?|magazine=The New Republic|date=27 May 2012|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/world/103330/syria-avaaz-activist-group-journalism|access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref> Jillian York has accused Avaaz of arrogance and lack of transparency.<ref>{{cite web|last=York|first=Jillian|title=On Avaaz|date=29 May 2012 |url=http://jilliancyork.com/2012/05/29/on-avaaz/|access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref> The ''Defensor Da Natureza''{{'s}} blog has accused Avaaz of taking credit for the success of the Ficha Limpa anti-corruption bill in Brazil; Luís Nassif reposted this post.<ref>{{cite web|title=Petições da Avaaz rendem milhões de dólares. As campanhas são sérias ou é golpe na internet?|url=http://ra-bugio.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/peticoes-da-avaaz-rendem-milhoes-de.html|publisher=Defensor da Natureza|access-date=16 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Nassif|first=Luis|title=Avaaz, golpe ou verdade?|date=20 November 2011|url=http://advivo.com.br/blog/luisnassif/avaaz-golpe-ou-verdade|access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref>
In 2008, conservative Canadian minister John Baird labelled Avaaz a "shadowy foreign organization" tied to billionaire George Soros.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/full-comment/kevin-libin-the-third-party-no-one-talks-about |title=Kevin Libin: The third party no one talks about |first=Kevin |last=Libin |date=20 September 2010 |newspaper=National Post |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709093050/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/09/20/kevin-libin-the-third-party-no-one-talks-about/ |archive-date=9 July 2012 }}</ref> A Canadian conservative-media personality, Ezra Levant,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/billionaire-soros-threatening-to-sue-sun-media/article1711183/|title=Billionaire Soros threatening to sue Sun Media |first=Steven |last=Chase|date=17 September 2010|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> tried to establish a link between Avaaz.org and Soros as an indirect supporter via MoveOn; Levant's article was later retracted as baseless, and an apology was offered to Soros.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/09/01/15216861.html|title=Anti-Sun TV News campaign in U.S.|first=Brian|last=Lilley |date=1 September 2010|newspaper=Toronto Sun|quote=Avaaz is backed by MoveOn.org a lobby group that has taken millions of dollars from currency speculator George Soros.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/tag/george-soros-controls-the-world/|title=Avaaz.ca vs. Baird: The Shadowy Foreign Organization strikes back!|author=kadyomalley|date=6 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2010/09/17/15388356.html|title=Retraction and apology to George Soros|date=18 September 2010|newspaper=Toronto Sun}}</ref>
==See also== * Internet activism * Slacktivism
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Wiktionary|आवाज़}} {{Wiktionary|avaz}} *[http://www.avaaz.org/en/ AVAAZ home page] *{{YouTube|u=avaazorg|Avaaz}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.vimeo.com/369614|title=Avaaz.org's Ricken Patel on BBC World's HARDtalk|date=3 November 2007}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avaaz.Org}} Category:Organizations established in 2007 Category:Internet-based activism Category:Human rights organizations Category:International political websites Category:American political websites Category:Online petitions Category:International organizations based in the United States