Students rally alongside organizers from Corrientes, Argentina in Harvard Yard
Cambridge, MA—On Friday, April 11, members of the Harvard community rallied in Harvard Yard alongside two organizers from the communities most affected by Harvard’s timber plantations in Argentina. The rally was part of the Responsible Investment at Harvard Coalition’s eleven-day SHAME Tour and week of action.
The rally in Harvard Yard featured speeches from the two Argentine community organizers, Emilio Spataro and Adrian Obregon, Cambridge City Council Member Leland Cheung, and UNITE HERE Local 26 leader Ed Childs.
Speakers at Rally in Harvard Yard
In addition, Harvard Undergraduate Council President Gus Mayopolous, Harvard Graduate School Council President Summer Shafer, and Responsible Investment at Harvard Coalition member Gabriel Bayard spoke.
Obregon, Sparato, and members of RI@H met with three Harvard administrators during the rally in Harvard Yard. It’s asking that they sign an agreement to “engage in substantive conversations with community stakeholders to ensure the continued responsible management practices of EVASA and Las Misiones.” Harvard refused to sign. Organizers have vowed to continue fighting until the Harvard administration acknowledges its responsibility to Corrientes.
During the rally, organizers delivered a petition with 1,115 signatures to the Office of Harvard University President Faust in Massachusetts Hall on behalf of those affected by Harvard-owned timber plantations in Argentina.
About the Petition at the Rally in Harvard Yard
The petition asked Harvard to respond to community members’ three demands: 1) stop expanding plantations within their communities; 2) remove plantations within 2,000 meters of their homes; and 3) comply with all legally required employment standards.
Environmental Justice Has No Borders
The Harvard Yard rally also highlighted a larger truth. Environmental pollution rarely stops at a national border. Instead, its impacts spread across ecosystems, public health, and local economies. As a result, communities around the world increasingly work together to demand accountability from multinational corporations and governments alike.
Furthermore, indigenous and rural communities often stand on the front lines of environmental damage. They protect forests, rivers, and biodiversity that benefit the entire planet. Yet they frequently face the greatest environmental and economic risks. Consequently, public demonstrations like the Harvard rally help amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard.
Today, environmental justice has become a global movement. Universities, nonprofits, scientists, and local advocates continue to collaborate across continents. Their goal remains the same: protect human rights while preserving the natural world for future generations. Although legal battles can last for years, public awareness and peaceful advocacy continue to shape policy, strengthen environmental protections, and encourage corporate responsibility.
Sources
- Harvard Law School Human Rights Program:The Future of Corporate Impact Litigation After the Chevron Case
- Revista Catalana de Dret Ambiental: The Texaco-Chevron Case in Ecuador: Law and Justice in the Age of Globalization
- The Guardian: Indigenous communities in Ecuador continue their fight for environmental justice
