Welcome to Real World Radio’s special show celebrating 50 years of Friends of the Earth International.

We spoke to former chairs and a founding director of the world’s largest grassroots environmental organisation – started in 1971 – to chart its emergence and development in political, strategic and structural terms, and in relation to the external world.

The participants included:

Edwin Matthews, one of the early directors of Friends of the Earth in the United States, who was instrumental in the founding of Les Amis de la Terre in France in 1970, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1971, and Friends of the Earth International.

Ricardo Navarro, from Cesta (Friends of the Earth El Salvador), chair of Friends of the Earth International from 1999 to 2004.

Meena Raman, from Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia), chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2004 to 2008.

Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2008 to 2012.

Jagoda Munic, director of Friends of the Earth Europe, chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2012 to 2016.

Karin Nansen, from REDES, Friends of the Earth Uruguay, chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2016 to 2021.

Hemantha Withanage, from the Centre for Environmental Justice, Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka, the current chair of Friends of the Earth International who took on the role in July 2021.

This podcast includes two shows.

We hope you enjoy and are inspired by this special celebration as Friends of the Earth International celebrates 50 years. Join us and find out more here.