Dear friends,
Wow! In the last three months, members of the Avaaz network have taken more than two million actions on urgent global issues -- signing petitions, sending messages, making phone calls, and donating funds. Our community is growing like wildfire (more than 50,000 people a week!) -- and we've made an unmistakable difference.
Scroll down for quick updates on some of our recent campaigning. Then keep going to answer a quick survey about what to focus on next.
Save the oceans a huge win! The UK announced its plan to double the total global area of protected ocean with a massive new conservation zone bigger than Germany and Italy combined. In the public comment period before the decision, Avaaz members contributed more than 85% of the responses, urging a ban on commercial fishing and support for the island peoples' rights.1 It's a huge victory, and the Foreign Ministry cited the "over 221,000 responses co-ordinated by Avaaz... from 223 countries" in its announcement.
Elephants - with elephants at risk, 500,000 of us worldwide empowered the African Elephant Coalition with our support -- and, after a nail-biting close vote and final push with partners on the ground, won protection for elephants at a UN Endangered Species session. The head of the Species Survival Network said “the petition, no doubt, made a difference and helped achieve the right result for elephants everywhere."
Standing with Haiti - thousands of us contributed more than US$1.3 million for relief and recovery from the Haitian earthquake, helping outstanding local organizations provide life-saving food, shelter, and medical care for thousands of people, and powered a global push that secured $1 billion in debt relief for Haiti. (Watch the amazing video about our impact in the "Sources" section below).
Uganda - in an unprecedented show of public opposition to the proposed law that would sentence gay Ugandans to death, Avaaz worked with church leaders and human rights activists to deliver a 450,000-strong petition to the Speaker of Uganda's parliament in an hour-long meeting and a press conference that made headlines around the country and the world.
Parliament had been expected to begin debate in February -- but in the face of local and global pressure, Parliament still hasn't begun formal discussion. Some say the bill may be left to die in committee, potentially a quiet but extraordinary victory for human rights. Avaaz continues to work closely with allies to monitor the bill -- and stands ready to take action once more if it regains momentum.
Brazil anti-corruption - took a giant leap against political corruption in Brazil, adding Avaaz members' voices to a national push that will bring to a vote landmark legislation banning individuals convicted of serious crimes from standing for public office.
And much more!
launched a drive for a million-signature Citizen's Initiative in the EU to ensure genetically modified crop regulation
raised almost $700,000 for an intensive, long-term campaign to fight the "rape trade"--the sexual enslavement of women and girls around the world
pressed Chevron's CEO to clean up his company's toxic legacy in the Amazon
defended human rights and judicial independence in Spain in the face of three controversial lawsuits against judge Baltasar Garzón and a fierce political campaign to destroy his career
mobilized support for a just two-state solution in the Middle East and against settlement construction in East Jerusalem
stood for civility and genuine debate in Israeli media -- and in U.S. media coverage of Israel and Palestine
... the list goes on!
Through these campaigns, members of the Avaaz network--each of us--have made headlines, shifted policy, and changed lives. But in each of these campaigns, and on many other issues, the work continues.
Help shape our next steps. Since January, more than 50,000 people have answered an Avaaz survey on where to go next -- click here to add your views:
http://www.avaaz.org/april_2010_poll
Avaaz launched in 2007 with a simple, deeply democratic mission: to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want. Since then, we have grown to link millions of people in every country on earth -- connecting to one another and taking action on urgent global issues. Each of us might only be able to offer a few minutes a week, but small actions add up -- and when hundreds of thousands of us, or even millions of us, join our voices together, we can change the world.
In fact, that's what Avaaz means in many languages: voice. (In others, more poetically, it means "song.")
Thanks for all of the efforts that got us here. And thanks in advance for helping write our next chapter -- for our collective story, the story of Avaaz, has only begun.
With hope,
Ricken, Ben, Alice, Pascal, Veronique, Paul, Graziela, Raluca, Luis, Benjamin, Milena, Paula, Iain, David and the whole Avaaz team.
P.S. Help set the course for more amazing victories -- take a moment to answer the Avaaz member survey, and then see the results: http://www.avaaz.org/april_2010_poll
SOURCES
Oceans:
• BBC story on announcement of conservation area: http://www.avaaz.org/oceans_annoncement_BBC
• official announcement and consultation report citing Avaaz: http://www.avaaz.org/save_our_oceans_decision
(also see footnote at bottom of message)
Elephants:
• Read the AFP article about the close vote and victory for elephants: http://www.avaaz.org/cites_decision_afp
Haiti:
• See the video of how Avaaz support made a difference: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/haiti_report_back_2/
Uganda:
• Bill was to be debated in February or March http://www.avaaz.org/uganda_law_AAP
• Read this front-page story from one of Uganda's biggest newspapers: http://www.avaaz.org/daily_monitor -- or this BBC story: http://www.avaaz.org/BBC_Uganda -- to get a sense of the global press coverage.
Brazil:
• Avaaz campaign referenced: http://www.avaaz.org/Correio_Braziliense (in Portuguese)
1. Some members wrote in to ensure that the rights of Chagossians and the nation of Mauritius would not be undercut. Avaaz raised these issues in its delivery of the petition, and Foreign Minister Miliband emphasised a commitment to those rights in his announcement of the protection area. It's a major step forward, but continued pressure is needed to ensure a just outcome for Chagossian Islanders and Mauritius -- and to further protect oceans from overfishing.
Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way
Good Morning!
We are living in the shadow of time.
The stars that shine so brightly are but
an illusion of years gone by.
They burned out eons ago and yet we
see them ever present in the sky.
What trick hast thou bestowed upon us oh Lord,
that we are forever suspended in a world that
does not exist?
What we see, is no more and yet the shadow of
what was still lingers in the heavens above.
We have tracked the days, nights, and seasons
according to the stars, the sun and the moon,
So if they are --but are no more--then what pray tell
is up there? Is there any light at all or is it merely a void;
An empty canvas with which to create our hearts desire?
If the heavens are an illusion, then what is real?
We can continue to look towards the skies for answers
or we can look beyond time and space and delve within
our souls to find what we are truly looking for.
written by Theresa Humphrey March 2, 2010
you may copy if you write my name and date
Love
Theresa
I found this site to be fantastic--I hope you enjoy it
Love YOU
Theresa
http://www.jamesclairlewis.com/pages/animation/singles/celestialcircuitry.html
Great big smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK ---- I have been imagining a beautiful castle in France
which just so happens to have hot air balloon rides along with
alot of everything else ----since I had decided to use the law of attraction
and visualize what I wanted along with other things that have to do with
sending out love and volunteering in foreign countries etc.
I was visualizing last night about the hot air balloon rides and what it
would feel like to be up in the air. While I slept, one of my friends sent
me a mystery gift in Farmville-- they didn't know what was in it and today I opened it up
and voila!!!!!!! A beautiful hot air balloon for my FARMVILLE--Black sheep included!!!!
HOW GREAT IS THAT?
Now for the real thing----big smile!!!!!!! I'm waiting--since I am a very visual person I
figure I just needed a little extra visual to jump start my dream--what do you think????
Life is definitely interesting !!!!!!!!!!
Love YOU
Theresa
i ENJOYED READING THIS
AWAKEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really it takes very little to get involved--I have been a part of UGANDA OUTREACH PROJECT through Humanity Healing and a part of Feed the Children and it can be as little or as much as you care to give. The laws of reciprocity along with all of the holy teachings and wiccan beliefs state that whatever you give comes back to you--just pick a cause or a country that resonates with you!
Here's one from Boivia!HTTP://www.ayuda.org/
There's need everywhere in the world for love and compassion!
LOVE TO YOU!
Theresa
Since I tend to ramble and go off on tangents, I will try to be as clear as I can.
For years I have felt like we are living in the past--like back to the future for real.
If we are realized beings -- all of us integrated right here in the now--past present and future is not linear-
(i would picture it kind of like string theory but in circular waves ) LIKE CIRCULAR RIPPLES IN WATER
If we have gotten to the point of realizing that we are magnificent creators creating from the heart,
then we can affect what we call the past if we focus on changing everything that is simultaneously going on in the past as if it is in the now which it is---- we can change all that has happened and create earth right now as we want it including changing the future. We can change the outcome therefore avoid any destruction of Gaia!!!!!!!!!! It has been proven scientifically that we have the ability to excite molecules with our intentions--we can go to every juncture in history and pur in the love to the person that had a deciding factor in war, etc. and affect change so that Gaia doesnt have to be saved she is healthy and loved and cared for.That is why there has been an all out war on primitive shamanic, Indian, aboriginal cultures throughout the world !!!!!!!!! These have the presence of mind to understand how really powerful man is and that we are not bound or limited by time or space and they have cultivated flourishing imagination and spirituality.
Do You believe that we can spiritually go to the past and affect change so that we dont have the word war or kill ?????
If there is no word or understanding or thought of war or killing or greed, they do not exist. It is only through thought that we have it. What if we can go back and change things so that the drug companies care about humanity, humanity has enough food for everyone, each decision that is made is decided on whether it will benefit humanity as a whole.
If we color our world with love and peace and beautiful colors and every negative thought that comes into our brain is faced with love--we consciously infuse all the fear and negative thoughts with love and see a positive outcome and do that also to the past which is happening NOW, We can change the world through our intentions, thoughts, love, and focus on beauty and peace.
Today in a meditation I focused on calling up all of the
past life aspects of me. I was able to actually see two of them
and the rest were areas of their lives in pictures. In this
meditation --affirmation--I focused on integrating and healing
all aspects of myself and merging the healthy healed and free
from negative karma MEs' into one.
I affirmed that I was releasing all past hurts pains sorrows karmic
contracts etc. from every dimension and every lifetime and
that I was freeing my self and integrating every aspect of myself
to be one in my alignment with myself and God.
I felt a really heavy feeling at first as I began to download and then It
started to become lighter and my heart chakra became more full of love.
What was interesting was that I started getting beautiful geometric
pictures in various colors and also some of my past lives had been totally
perfect and I got a view of a store with beautiful baby shoes in it. Another
life was really bleak and brown and drab and as i viewed it, i started to paint
it and infuse it with beautiful bright colors in order to heal that aspect so that it
could integrate with me on a positive loving vibrational level. This went on for
a couple of hours and I took a nap in between and I am not done but I am
not worried, I have already dealt with the karmic lesson of this lifetime so
I am introducing love and color and happiness into my prior lives to heal all of me.
It is a self healing that maybe would help others if they are interested.
I love you!
Theresa
When one is fully living in the NOW aligned with one's GOD force--Infinite Intelligence, and aligned with all that is you realize that you have already evolved and are in sync with all that was is and will be right here in the now. There is a peace that comes with knowing in your heart that YOU are timeless and loved.
You are LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great night
Theresa