SCHOOL STRIKES FOR CLIMATE ACTION
#FridaysForFuture
“We, the young, are deeply concerned about our future. […] We are the voiceless future of humanity. We will no longer accept this injustice. […] We finally need to treat the climate crisis as a crisis. It is the biggest threat in human history and we will not accept the world's decision-makers' inaction that threatens our entire civilization. […] Climate change is already happening. People did die, are dying and will die because of it, but we can and will stop this madness. […] United we will rise until we see climate justice. We demand the world's decision-makers take responsibility and solve this crisis. You have failed us in the past. If you continue failing us in the future, we, the young people, will make change happen by ourselves. The youth of this world has started to move and we will not rest again.”
– An open letter from 150 students from the global coordination group of the youth-led climate strike of March 15th, including Greta Thunberg
Young people all over the world are making their voice heard in response to the lack of meaningful action by politicians and decision-makers when it comes to climate change. Hundreds of thousands of young people in more than 117 countries and 1939 locations have been mobilizing across the globe to support the School Strike for Climate movement that began when Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old schoolgirl with Asperger’s, held a solo protest outside Sweden’s parliament back in August. Her message stands out in its clarity: “There are no grey areas when it comes to survival. Either we go on as a civilization or we don’t.”
Since then, Greta has spoken at the UN Climate Change COP24 Conference, the Davos World Economic Forum, made her disarming case to act on climate in a TED talk and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She continues to strike outside of the Swedish parliament every Friday, but this time, joined by a group of organized students worldwide as part of #FridaysForFuture. The strikes have been backed by hundreds of environmentalists and academics, and support continues to grow in anticipation for a global strike happening on March 15th.
“We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again. You have run out of excuses and we are running out of time. We have come here to let you know that change is coming whether you like it or not. The real power belongs to the people.”
– Greta Thunberg, 16, UN Climate Change COP24 Conference
“The crisis is already here. People across the world are dying from droughts and floods and it's just going to get worse. I do feel like we haven't been heard and what's going to be really important for us in the future has not yet been addressed. These strikes are the voice of the youth really saying you need to listen to us and you need to act now.”
– Anna Taylor, 17, London, UK
“Climate change is a problem that doesn't have borders and our solution can't have borders either. This is not about one country or one part of the world. This is about the entire planet and the future of all of humanity.”
– Alexandria Villasenor, 13, NYC
Support the movement by showing up to your local strike on March 15th
#FridaysForFuture
#SchoolsStrike4Climate
#ClimateStrike
We have 11 years left to prevent climate catastrophe. If you can’t join your local event, wherever you are in the world, go outside at 11 a.m. and strike with the world’s youth for 11 minutes. Do this for the future: #11at11ClimateStrikeNYC
