User:Gaeanautes/The Swede

Greta Thunberg

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Greta Thunberg ... is a Swedish schoolgirl, climate activist and iconic role model for worldwide student activism. She is famous for having initiated the school strike for climate movement that formed in November 2018 and surged globally after the COP24 conference in December the same year. Her personal activism began in August 2018, when her recurring and solitary Skolstrejk för klimatet ('School strike for the climate') protesting outside the Swedish parliament in Stockholm soon attracted media coverage. On 15 March 2019, an estimated number of 1.4 million students around the world joined her call in the striking and protesting. The next major climate strike to take place globally is scheduled on 24 May 2019.

From October 2018 and onwards, Thunberg's activism evolved from solitary protesting to taking part in demonstrations throughout Europe; making several high profile public speeches; and mobilising her growing number of followers on social media platforms. However, by March 2019 she still stages her regular protests outside the Swedish parliament every Friday, where other students now occasionally join her. Her activism has not interfered with her schoolwork, but she has had less spare time.

UN General Secretary António Guterres has endorsed the school strikes initiated by Thunberg, admitting that "My generation has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry."

On 13 March 2019, three members of the Norwegian parliament nominated Thunberg as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize later this year. The nominating politicians motivated their decision by arguing that global warming will be the cause of 'wars, conflict and refugees' if nothing is done to halt it. Thunberg responded that she was 'honoured and very grateful' for the nomination. If Thunberg receives the Prize later this year, she will become the youngest person ever to receive it.

As a collective archetype, Thunberg has been compared both to French medieval maiden warrior Joan of Arc; and to Swedish fictional character Pippi Longstocking, an unconventional and daring girl who regularly exercises her superhuman strength.

Manifesto
... as the inspiration to begin her school climate strike.[][]

In her personal manifesto, Thunberg claims that she is just a messenger, not a climate scientist herself: She is merely repeating what scientists have been trying to get through to the general public for decades now, to little effect. Students like her should not have to leave school for protesting. If only the public started listening to the scientists, students could give up protesting and go back to school again—but this is not how the political situation works today, Thunberg maintains.

Berlin
In the weekend 29-31 March, Thunberg visited Berlin. She spoke in front of some 25,000 people near the Brandenburg Gate on Friday, where she argued that "We live in a strange world where children must sacrifice their own education in order to protest against the destruction of their future. Where the people who have contributed the least to this crisis are the ones who are going to be affected the most." After the speech, Thunberg and fellow climate activist Luisa Neubauer visited the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and met with scientists there. On Saturday, Thunberg received the 'Golden Camera' Special Award on Germany's annual film and television award show. In her acceptance speech at the gala, Thunberg urged celebrities everywhere to use their influence and do their fair share of climate activism to help her.

X-links
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 * (Thunberg's personal manifesto)
 * (A compilation of Thunberg's speeches, featuring both video and text)
 * Thunberg on Twitter, featuring an intro video
 * (Video introducing Thunberg's life and early activism)

References