School Strike 4 Climate
School Strike 4 Climate began in 2018 and was inspired by Swedish environmental activist, Greta Thunberg. On May 21st 2021, several EREA schools showed their support by attending a School Strike 4 Climate rally or by hosting one of their own. Here are some reflections and photos from PRATYeK in India and Aquinas College in Western Australia.
PRATYeK, India
ClimateGIRI are Creative and child friendly gathering of students in support of Greta Thunberg’s Friday’s For Future movement School Strike towards the declaration of a Climate Emergency. The very first Climategiri was conducted on June 4, 2019. It was the first initiative by us PRATYeK to bring schools around Delhi and like-minded NGOs who are working with Earth Rights to be together in one platform. Since then, PRATYeK has organized 9 climate giris – 8 in Delhi and 1 in Chandigarh. The children used child friendly creative mediums like street plays, circus art, dance, skating performance among the others to express and to make their voices heard to the world leaders. The major demands put forward by the kids is for the government to understand their concerns and declare climate emergency. The other demand was for multinationals to change their production to eco-friendly methods.
Our program “Embracing the Earth” aims to increase awareness amongst children about the adverse impact of the climate, especially in the context of a developing country. We train children in the art of advocacy, especially advocacy for climate action. This enhances their capacities in terms of Child led Advocacy for Climate Action in relation to a vulnerable community like the urban slums and lower income migrant communities.
Our program “Embracing the Earth” aims to increase awareness amongst children about the adverse impact of the climate, especially in the context of a developing country. We train children in the art of advocacy, especially advocacy for climate action. This enhances their capacities in terms of Child led Advocacy for Climate Action in relation to a vulnerable community like the urban slums and lower income migrant communities.
Aquinas College, Western Australia
Aquinas College sent a small delegation into the city to immerse themselves in the ‘Schools Strike for Climate’ rally (SS4C). We were able to learn a great deal about this issue, the campaign and the various styles and place of public activism in WA. We approach these opportunities as a ‘field trip’ to learn about the role of community organisers and activism and advocacy - looking for what works and what seems counterproductive etc.. Finding creative and peaceful ways to draw attention to unmet needs and unmet rights is a challenge we all face. Furthermore, to engage the interest of those with the capacity to make the changes we seek and to propose alternatives to them is the next layer of any society’s challenge to affect change for the betterment of all. Today’s field trip was a memorable and highly educational field trip. Experiences such this are a rare, dynamic and deep learning experience – not only about the differences between activism and advocacy, also a powerful insight into democracy and the ways community groups organise to engage with decision makers.
You can read more about the School Strike 4 Climate Campaign here: https://www.schoolstrike4climate.com/
