Welcome Kumi. New leadership at Greenpeace International

Dr. Kumi Naidoo (Durban, 1965) is the new Executive Director of Greenpeace International. Kumi holds a D.Phil in Politics from Magdalen College, Oxford. He has published and spoken widely on issues relating to civil society, education and resistance to apartheid. Of Indian origins, Kumi was part of the successful struggle against apartheid in his native South Africa. He was deeply involved in neighbourhood organization, youth work in his community, the underground movement, and mass mobilizations against South Africa's apartheid regime. He has a long experience as militant. “His specialities are provocations, resistence acts and civil disobedience”, wrote French newspaper Libération. Exiled in London in 1987, after Nelson Mandela’s election in 1994, Kumi devoted himself to active citizenship: for ten years he was the General Secretary of CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation. He worked also for Greenpeace Africa.

In 2005, Naidoo was one of the founders of Global Call to Action Against Poverty, a coalition of anti-poverty campaigners from over 100 countries, engaging the public to maintain pressure on leaders to fulfil their promises on aid, trade, climate change, debt and gender equality. Kumi brings with him a passion for activism, for non-violence and clear ideas for shaping the future of Greenpeace. A former Marxist, he says: «History teaches us that real change only comes when good men and women are prepared to put their lives and personal safety on the line to advance the cause of justice, equity and peace. I believe today that Greenpeace is the leading organization in embracing that approach». "Kumi has all of the qualities needed to take Greenpeace forward and lead it in the greatest challenge it and the world has ever faced: climate change."
Greenpeace International (Stichting Greenpeace Council), is the body that coordinates global Greenpeace policy and strategy, and is based in Amsterdam.
The best way to welcome Kumi? Take action! Mobilizing people and act now!