Peterborough children and youth leading local Global Climate Strike day event on March 25

Members of Youth Climate Action Club among speakers at event at Confederation Square

By kawarthaNOW -
Published
On September 27, 2019, youth in Peterborough led a protest march to local federal political candidates' campaign offices as part of The Global Climate Strike protest. This youth-led global protest movement took place in 4,500 locations in 150 countries and is one of the largest movements of its kind in history. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
On September 27, 2019, youth in Peterborough led a protest march to local federal political candidates' campaign offices as part of The Global Climate Strike protest. This youth-led global protest movement took place in 4,500 locations in 150 countries and is one of the largest movements of its kind in history. (Photo: Leif Einarson)

A group of children and youth in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong who are passionate about raising awareness about climate change are leading a local event for Global Climate Strike day on Friday (March 25).

The event takes place at 3:30 p.m. in Confederation Square, across from Peterborough City Hall.

Last October, four local elementary school students heeded the call from young Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and decided to form their own climate justice group. Calling the group the Youth Climate Action Club, they have joined forces with local high school students to organize the local Global Climate Strike day.

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“For somebody my age, I don’t know what my future will be or the future for the next generations,” says Alex Hodson, a grade 5 student and one of the founding members of the Youth Climate Action Club. “Nature is resilient and will come back, but humans are acting in a way that will lead to our own extinction if we don’t change.

The Global Climate Strike event on March 25th is part of the international Fridays for Futures movement, which demands policy makers and world leaders consider “people not profit” and take urgent and decisive measures to reduce global emissions.

“It scares me that people and societies are not changing, that we don’t learn more about this when we are young,” Hodson says. “Adults need to do more.”

The Global Climate Strike event on March 25th is part of the international Fridays for Futures movement, which demands policy makers and world leaders consider "people not profit" and take urgent and decisive measures to reduce global emissions. (Graphic: Youth Climate Action Club)
The Global Climate Strike event on March 25th is part of the international Fridays for Futures movement, which demands policy makers and world leaders consider “people not profit” and take urgent and decisive measures to reduce global emissions. (Graphic: Youth Climate Action Club)

Friday’s event in Confederation Park will feature speakers from across generations, including Curve Lake First Nation Elder Dorothy Taylor as well as Hodson and other members of the Youth Climate Action Club, which now includes over a dozen activists from nine to 14 years of age.

The event and the Youth Climate Action Club are also supported by local organizations the Peterborough-Kawarthas chapter of The Council of Canadians, For Our Grandchildren, the Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action, and OPIRG Peterborough.

Everyone is invited to join the Youth Climate Action Club at Confederation Park on Friday. Signs and masks are encouraged.

For more information on Youth Climate Action Club, visit them on Facebook and Instagram.

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