Dear Friend,
After months of uncertainty, the last ten days brought some hope to the world, from new COVID-19 vaccines coming out to more women than ever being elected to the U.S. Congress! So let’s continue to make the world a better place by joining forces across borders.
In this newsletter, read about: how to ensure that European leaders stop letting people drown in the Mediterranean Sea, the need to take individual actions to stop the Climate Crisis, the power of unity in the face of racism, and the upcoming events you can participate in!
But first...
… and read below why it matters!
15,000 PEOPLE DIED AT SEA TRYING TO GET TO SAFETY; WHEN WILL EUROPE ACT?
“74 people died at sea trying to reach Europe, trying to reach a safe haven. Instead of providing assistance, you let people die. Over and over again. Since 2015 more than 15,000 migrants escaping unimaginable horrors have drowned in the attempt of reaching Europe."
This is the opening of a letter we will soon mail to European leaders who are letting people die at their doorstep. We ask them to stop looking away and do their job: protect human lives!. We also suggest some basic policy solutions, like restarting search & rescue missions in the Sea that were recently halted (yes, you got it right, they were halted!).
If you believe that some of the richest countries in the world must stop their collaboration with countries detaining migrants in inhuman conditions and welcome people safely and humanely, please help us make our voice heard.
THE FUTURE OF NOW!: SEND US YOUR IDEAS
A month ago, we started a first survey on the future of NOW!. The exercise's aim was (and is) to identify the priorities for the movement for the months to come, as well as key methodologies and tools we should consider. Yes, we are building the "2021 & beyond" strategy with you all!
The 5 main global issues identified by our community are:
- Climate Change
- The Erosion of Democracy
- Fake News & Misinformation
- Discriminations
- Economic Inequalities
...and 67% of people think that a democratic, transnational governance system would solve these problems.
But the work is not done yet, we want to know what you think our next campaigns should be.
GREEN DECEMBER
December is approaching: this means that yet another year has gone by with very little action from world leaders to stop the climate crisis. But we won’t let another year go to waste. NOW! Members are preparing a month of individual actions for the climate, that you can partake in by spending just a couple of minutes a day working to help our planet. Will you sign up?
PS Do you know that the way you travel can save the planet? See all the details in this Instagram post!
BY BECOMING A MEMBER, YOU CAN KEEP NOW!'S FLAME ALIVE!
In the last two months, we experienced an incredible surge of members. People worldwide joined our organization, often deciding to fuel our activities with a small monthly contribution. First and foremost, we want to thank them with all our heart.
For those of you who might be thinking, "why should I become a member?" we want to let you know that membership contributions - both in terms of time volunteered and monetary donations - are the main source of support for our organization.
Thanks to people who pitch in 3$/month, we managed to set up an IT infrastructure managing 10,000 people across 115 countries. Thanks to people who dedicate 2 hours a week, we pushed the World Health Organization to support our call for a fair distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines. Thanks to our members, the dream of a global movement is alive and growing.
For this and many other reasons, please consider becoming a member and contributing to our community. It's going to be an incredible ride, that we can promise!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST... JOIN OUR EVENTS!
Last Saturday, we hosted a truly inspiring virtual town hall with Khalil Osiris about the importance of Truth & Reconciliation efforts to overcome the historical scars and wounds of racism, colonialism, and much more. Rewatch it on Youtube and Facebook.
We will soon host many other virtual town halls of global importance, such as "The Struggle for Democracy in Vietnam," hosted by Will Nguyen, a prominent Vietnamese democracy activist. Join us on December 2nd, at 9 am New York Time (2 pm London Time, 5 pm Nairobi Time, 9 pm Hanoi Time 10 pm Hong Kong Time) by signing up here!
Remember, "together united, we cannot be defeated!"
All the best,
Andrea & Colombe, for NOW!
Co-Executive Directors