On a sun-dappled spot of sandy land along Thailand’s east coast, class is in session, as a group of environmental defenders listens to local activists describe battling an industrial park.
At home, some of the 13 students gathered from around the Mekong region face harassment, jail terms and even violence. Environmental defenders worldwide are battling intimidation and violence, with one killed every two days last year.
Under a canopy of mango leaves not far from the Gulf of Thailand, those risks seem far away and the focus is on learning from a community’s fight to protect their land.
The activists are on a field trip with the EarthRights School, an unusual programme of intensive training and education for environmentalists.
It offers a practical curriculum, including campaign skills, proposal writing and evidence gathering.
But it is also a rare opportunity for activists who…
