Philip de Vellis

CONTACT: Trevor FitzGibbon / Emma Mackinnon
202.822.5200 ext. 247 / 277

Video Echoes 40,000 Avaaz.org Members from
183 Countries Saying: Fire Paul Wolfowitz

The creator of the sensational online video mash-up of Hillary Clinton and the “1984” Apple commercial just released his next video mash-up, parodying World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz as the supposed boss of the hit show “The Office.”  Phil DeVellis produced the video for the global online activist network Avaaz.org as part of a global campaign calling on the World Bank to fire Mr. Wolfowitz.  

The on-line petition campaign by Avaaz.org urges the ouster of Wolfowitz over the revelation of a promotion and pay raise he secretly gave his girlfriend who worked for the bank.  In the last several days, over 40,000 people from 183 different countries signed the online petition. The global petition echoes calls by the Financial Times, the New York Times, and the World Bank Staff Association for Mr. Wolfowitz's removal in the wake of improprieties.

The petition was launched Friday evening; the video was posted on YouTube and Avaaz.org today.

"From his reckless, unilateral management style to his ideological decision-making, Mr. Wolfowitz has brought the same misguided approach to the World Bank that he applied to the Iraq war," said Avaaz.org Executive Director Ricken Patel.

"The fight against corruption is fundamental to the fight against global poverty. The World Bank President cannot demand one standard of poor countries and apply a different one to himself," said Avaaz.org Campaign Director Ben Wikler. "It's time for Paul Wolfowitz to go."

The campaign is organised by Avaaz.org , a new multi-issue online network that provides opportunities for citizens of every country to take concerted action on urgent global problems like climate change, poverty, and the crisis in the Middle East. Avaaz.org's mission is to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decisions. It operates in 12 languages. Recently launched in January 2007, it now has 952,000 members from every nation of the world.  Avaaz means "voice" in several European, Middle Eastern, and Asian languages.

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UlhLLiQo2Y