The European Union has been weighed down beneath the ongoing refugee crisis that has seen huge numbers of individuals fleeing war torn areas of the Middle East flood across the borders of Europe in a bid to find a better life. Avaaz is a humanitarian and political activism group that has been playing a major role in the reaction of Europe to the ongoing issues seen with refugees, including providing rescue missions that are proving lifesavers for those who are taking dangerous journeys using overcrowded ships entering regions of Greece and Italy.
As the way the public reacts to a major humanitarian issue is part of the work of Avaaz the group is most proud of it is currently looking for ways to make sure the private citizens of Greece who have opened their hearts and homes to refugees are honored for their impressive actions; an Online petition organized by an Avaaz member called on the Nobel Peace Prize committee to award the prize to the volunteers in Greece who have placed their own lives at risk to help those fleeing problems in other parts of the world. Eventually the petition and call for official recognition for the people of Greece was presented to the Nobel Prize Committee by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a group of academics backing the cause.
The global reach of Avaaz has become a major bonus for the group who can now make an impact on the work of communities in areas such as Australia and beyond from its base in New York. An example of the power of Avaaz was seen when the Australian Prime Minister refused to allow Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the country before Avaaz backed a national campaign that led to around 12,000 refugees arriving in Australia from the nations originally banned by Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
For more information follow Avaaz on Twitter.