Support for Greta Thunberg’s climate action call keeps rising. Activists from numerous countries are preparing a Global Day for Climate Action on 15 March 2019.
The climate-action-genie is out of the bottle among school students around the planet. Friday 18 January 2019 saw around 150 different school strikes taking place in countries like Sweden, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, and more.
On Friday 25 January 2019, 30,000 school strikers are expected to rally in Berlin, and more than 30,000 in Belgium, among many other cities.
Janine O’Keeffe, an Australian who helps co-ordinate events and information from her base in Stockholm, expects up to 60,000 school students will be gathering in over 270 different locations. More details here
Method: Your nearest town hall, bring a #FridaysForFuture sign, take a photo and share
Web: www.fridaysforfuture.org/join
Facebook event page: www.fb.com/events/303511083799836
The global protest is a response to a call made by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at the UN Climate Summit in Poland to hold a global school strike. In response to this request, Australian students, children and young people are calling for a global school strike for 15 March 2019 and promise to turn that day into a major global event.
So far, school strikes are being lined up in both Australia
and New Zealand and in countries such as United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Romania, USA, Canada, Japan, Philippines, Brazil, Columbia, Uganda, South Africa, and more. Students in more than 40 countries have plans to join the global school strike on 15 March.
» Australians can join and read more on www.schoolstrike4climate.com
International Rebellion Week
Also, an International Rebellion Week is planned on 15-21 April 2019 – with independent local Extinction Rebellion groups taking to the streets to demand decisive action on climate change and ecological collapse.
» More on www.Rebellion.Earth
» Hundreds of XR groups have organised and taken action in countries and communities throughout the world. Find a group organising near you – and if there isn’t one yet, you could start it.
Grey Power: Grandparents’ campaign in support of school strikers
» On 15 March 2019: Grey Power supports School Strike 4 Climate
The Grey Power Climate Protectors is a new Australian group which uses “the political, financial, or social influence of older people” to protect the climate for now and future generations.
Global Climate Day: new campaign site
» Global Climate Day:
www.climate-day.com — Facebook page
“International platform uniting people worldwide to fight for reversing climate change and global warming. Let’s share global knowledge and take local action!”
Teachers also join and help school strikers
For instance, in Sweden, a group of school teachers have started a Facebook group for teachers about the school strikes and how to support Greta: #TeachersForFuture
Janine O’Keeffe wrote:
“Here are some tips to help teachers to find a way to support striking students:
1. ‘Tellthetruth!’ Teachers are requiring other teachers and the department of education to be open about the extent and depth of the crisis.
Hothouse Earth [threshold 1.5°C for uncontrollable warming och potential human extinction] and 1% chance to stay under 1.5°C!
2. Belgium teachers are saying that they do not want to punish a child who strikes.
Therefore they create an excursion to take the entire class to the strike. This makes it both larger and more educational the remainder of the students. Teachers are also parents and want to support children who are standing up.
3. Belgium teachers are also saying, if students strike then they are actually demonstrating their depth of understanding of the curriculum both their knowledge of science, i.e. ecological sustainability, and social sustainability, i.e. democratic rights. Therefore they should be commended with top marks for their courage.
4. Belgium teachers are Any teacher who has a striker is morally obliged to use their own civil disobedience and not mark a student as absent.
5. In a small group, 2-4 people, talk to your teacher and the principal and find out their position on missing school for the climate. Explain in your own words why you are doing it.e.g. Up to 200 species are becoming extinct every single day.
Remember, you goal it to inform them of your plans, and to hear their opinion. The decision to strike is already taken. This shows strength, respect and is empowering for the group of strikers. A head teacher of one school allowed a meeting with the entire school.
This is a moment to be proud of your decision. Your do not plan to hide, instead you are going to use social media to tell the world that you are following your convictions, that this is what all people need to do!
It takes courage to strike. It takes courage to work diligently towards a incredibly important goal in the dark, i.e. without support, and little hope.”
» See more on www.facebook.com/groups/360738531343519