Kumi Naidoo
How can activists act more convincingly and effectively in times of multiple crisis? And how can imagination and the concept of artivism contribute to creating a more equal, just, and sustainable world?
More about Kumi Naidoo
“My life has been shaped by both pain and politics. Growing up in the Apartheid system taught me that injustice is not abstract. It is designed,” Kumi Naidoo says. “One of my father's friends, who was an activist, suggested to live with purpose and work for the dignity of others. And that was the most useful advice I found.” This quote vividly captures what turned Kumi Naidoo into a lifelong activist for equality, social change, and sustainability issues.
Born on January 8, 1965 in Durban, South Africa, Naidoo became involved in political activism at a young age during the Apartheid era. At just 15 years old, he was expelled from school for organizing protests against the Apartheid government. His activism led to harassment by authorities, eventually forcing him into exile in the United Kingdom. Today, he is widely known as a leader and a strong voice in the field. His work for non-governmental organizations as well as supranational bodies spans more than three decades.
Naidoo gained international recognition through leadership roles in major organizations. As Secretary-General of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation (1998–2008), he promoted human rights and citizen engagement. In 2009, he became the first person from the Global South to become Executive Director of Greenpeace International, focusing on climate change, environmental protection, and social justice. From 2018 to 2020, as Secretary General of Amnesty International, he advocated for human rights, freedom of expression, refugee protection, and equality.
Throughout his career, Kumi Naidoo has emphasized grassroots activism and global solidarity. Today, as president of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, he helps build a network of organizations and communities which lobby against the continuing extraction of fossil energy sources. Also, Naidoo aims at expanding the Global Artivism Movement, which he co-founded with the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism and in collaboration with artist Olafur Eliasson and cultural creatives across the world. Inspired by the late South African rapper Riky Rick, this movement aims at harnessing means of storytelling and creativity as tools for mobilizing collective action.
As a Fellow of the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin, Kumi Naidoo plans to develop and promote improved forms of activism. “Beneath climate change, inequality, and democratic erosion lies a deeper crisis of values,” Naidoo says. “We have built systems that prioritize profit over people, growth over well-being, extraction over care.” For him, the key to address and solve the many crises is to embrace new forms of storytelling, culture, and creativity. In his view, movements must become as compelling as the forces they oppose.
Last updated: 2026
Resumé
September 2024 – present President, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
March 2024 – present Leadership Council, EPIC
December 2018 – present Global Ambassador, Africans Rising for Unity, Justice, Peace and Dignity
2018 – 2020 Secretary General, Amnesty International
2009 – 2015 Executive Director, Greenpeace International
1998 – 2008 Secretary General, CIVICUS: World
Kumi Naidoo's Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship
During his four-month Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship, Kumi Naidoo is looking to amplify often marginalized perspectives and to harness creativity as a powerful tool for mobilizing collective action. He argues that today’s systemic challenges, like climate change or lasting inequalities between the Global North and the Global South, call for more intersectional, imaginative, and solidarity-driven activist movements.
Building on ongoing research and personal experience, Kumi Naidoo’s fellowship period will focus on three pillars. First, he plans to produce Season 4 of the Power People and Planet Podcast, featuring conversations with Bosch Fellows and global leaders (especially from the Global South) to illuminate ethical leadership and amplify often marginalized perspectives. Second, he will expand the Global Artivism Movement, co-founded with the Riky Rick Foundation for the Promotion of Artivism and in collaboration with artist Olafur Eliasson, by building its global partnerships and strategy to harness storytelling and creativity as powerful tools for mobilizing collective action. Third, he will advance his forthcoming book on rethinking activism.
By interacting with Fellows, policymakers, and fellow activists in Berlin, Kumi plans to integrate European perspectives and blend reflection and action to inspire new forms of leadership and engagement at a moment when they are urgently needed.
