Stephen Corry

British indigenous rights activist

Stephen Corry

Born	1951 Malaysia
Citizenship	British
Known for	Indigenous rights activist
Scientific career
Fields	Anthropology Human rights
Institutions	Survival International Free Tibet Campaign

Stephen Corry (born 1951) is a British indigenous rights activist, best known for being the former CEO of Survival International. In 1993, he became the chairman of the Free Tibet Campaign and remains on its board.

Biography

Stephen Corry was born in Malaysia in 1951.^{[citation needed]} He won a scholarship to Gresham's School^[1] and at 16 he left school with the desire to travel and learn other languages.^[2]

In 1972, he founded together with Robin Hanbury-Tenison the organisation Survival International.^[1]^[2] Influenced by his travels, and authors such as Jiddu Krishnamurti, he quit the University of Paris, Jussieu, and volunteered. After becoming a member, Corry sought to go to Brazil to study the indigenous people there, but was asked to stay in London and do research.

Stephen Corry later became Projects Director of Survival International.^[3]^[4] He had started his work with Survival with the ambitious intention of compiling a World Red Book of Threatened Peoples – parallel to the IUCN's "Red Book of Threatened Species", an idea which was proposed to him by Robin Hanbury-Tenison, while discussing his future role in Survival International. In 1974, he spent nine months in Colombia researching the situation of the indigenous tribal peoples and setting up several projects for funding by the Joint Projects Committee. On his return, in 1976, he published his report, "Towards Indian Self-determination in Colombia."^{[citation needed]} From 1984 until 2021, he was Director-General of Survival International. ^[5]

Awards

Survival International was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1989. Corry gave the acceptance speech.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b Corry, Stephen (2011). Tribal peoples for tomorrow's world. Freeman Press. ISBN 978-1447424130.
^ ^a ^b "An insight into the life of Stephen Corry". Mmegi. 17 March 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
^ Hanbury-Tenison, Robin (2004). Worlds Apart: An Explorer's Life. Long Riders' Guild Press. ISBN 1-59048-163-1.
^ A. Ed., Willem (1975). Case studies on human rights and fundamental freedoms: a world survey. Kluwer Law International. ISBN 90-247-1780-9.
^ @stephencorrysvl (26 August 2020). "In 2021, I stand down as CEO @Survival, 49 years after volunteering there" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2023 – via Twitter.
^ "Right to Livelihood Award – Acceptance Speech by Stephen Corry December 9th, 1989". The Right to Livelihood Award. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.