Cultural Survival’s Global Response Program

Our goal is to help Indigenous communities succeed in their efforts to prevent the destruction or degradation of their lands and natural resources, and defend their right to self-determination.

At the request of Indigenous communities and allied organizations, the Global Response program organizes international campaigns that magnify Indigenous Peoples’ voices and get results. We organize letter-writing campaigns to persuade governments and corporations to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples and enforce  laws and international treaties to protect the environment.  Our campaigns seek to protect the world’s human cultural diversity and its biological diversity.

Sign up at www.culturalsurvival.org to receive our action alerts and participate in our letter-writing campaigns. Our success depends on your active participation.  Over our 20-year history, we have already celebrated victories in almost half of our campaigns. Your letters can help us keep winning.

How Does Cultural Survival’s Global Response Program Choose Its Campaigns?

The Global Response Program Director meets with a Campaigns Advisory Committee to review potential campaigns. Advisory Committee members have expertise in various scientific fields, medicine, Indigenous peoples’ rights and international law. They consider each potential campaign according to these criteria:

1. Is there a significant threat to an important ecosystem and/or the environmental health and safety of an Indigenous community?
2. Is there a strong local movement to stop or prevent environmental destruction?
   Is this movement working in a transparent, participatory and non-violent way?
3. Has a credible, representative Indigenous organization asked CS’s Global Response Program to conduct a letter-writing campaign on its behalf?
4. Is sufficient and credible scientific information available?
5. Do we have reliable communications directly with the local community organizers or through international partner organizations (in cases where there are language or other communications barriers)?
6. Is there a compelling strategy for a letter-writing campaign? (Is there reason to believe that international letters may influence a particular decision maker?)
7. Is the timing right?
   (Is there a particular decision or deadline our letters can influence?)
8. Can success in this campaign influence broader policy decisions, having a multiplier effect?
9. Does the campaign offer opportunities to build partnerships and coalitions to strengthen the international movements for environmental protection and Indigenous peoples’ rights?
10. Can CS employ other tactics, in addition to letter-writing, to help the communities involved?

How to Request a Global Response letter-writing campaign:

To request a Global Response letter-writing campaign on behalf of an Indigenous community, please contact:

Paula Palmer, Director
Global Response Program
Cultural Survival
Email: paula(at)cs.org
Tel +1-303 -444 -0306
Fax +1-303- 449-9794

To support your request for a letter-writing campaign, please tell us:

1. What is the nature of the environmental threat to the Indigenous community?
2. Describe the human communities, ecosystems, protected areas and endangered species that are or will be affected.
3. Are scientific reports available that document the dangers?
4. Which local organizations are working on this issue? Do they want Global Response to organize an international letter-writing campaign to help them succeed?
5. Are national or international organizations involved in the campaign?
6. What have the campaign organizers achieved so far?
7. What is the current status of the problem?
8. Who can make a decision to resolve this problem? (usually an official in a government, corporation or international financial institution)
9. Are there specific dates when important decisions will be made regarding this issue?
10. If we organize a letter-writing campaign, to whom should we send our letters?  What should we ask for in our letters?
11. Name and contact information for local campaign organizers.

We will give your request our full consideration. Our goal is to increase your chances to succeed in efforts to protect the environment and defend Indigenous peoples' rights.

Como solicitar una Campaña de Cartas del Programa Respuesta Global?

Comment solliciter une Campagne de Lettres  au Programme Réponse Globale?

Como solicitar uma Campanha de Cartas da Resposta Global?