Children the world over were on strike for the climate

Protesters in London. Photo: Mark Earthy

”Save our Planet” and ”We want change now” resounded the slogan, in London, at the same time as a hundred other demonstrations took place in other locations in the Uk.

" Our principal gave us permission to come here, so we'll probably absence. But it is worth it – and our teachers support us, " says 16-year-old Megan Inwood who had travelled to the city centre from the Londonförorten Greenwich, along with his friend Aliya Adeel.

"Yes, we want that the politicians are listening to us now – the time is coming to an end," said Aliya Adeel, who wore a homemade placard with the text ”Save the planet”.

A piece from Buckingham Palace, we encounter some parents who went out to demonstrate with their children. Friends Corinna Faith, Sarah Bailey and Nick Bukley go forward together with their children, Nathaniel, Ella, Orla, Frank, and Jago.

– It is the children who have taken the initiative – so we hung with, " says Nick Buckley with a laugh.

the 10-year-old Orla gets a serious look on his face when I ask why she demonstrates.

" I feel very strongly for this with the climate change. It is indeed a crisis, for the Earth becomes warmer and the ice melts at the poles. It will lead to flooding and a lot of other problems, " she says.

Her friend Ella, even her ten years, breaks in:

" the Politicians must do something. They should ban all the plastic and other things that harm the environment.

Demonstrations in Berlin. Photo: Omer Messinger/AFP

In Germany held demonstrations in hundreds of cities around the country. In Berlin marched some 20,000 young people according to police estimates, and in Munich around 8,000.

Even parents and climate scientists went out on the streets to create awareness on climate change issues. The main character in the demonstrations was Greta Thunberg that gets a lot of attention in Germany. The daily newspaper Die Welt devoted Friday's front page to the klimatstrejkande Swedish with the title ”Great, Greater, Greta”.

in the Past, both chancellor Angela Merkel as president mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave the protesters the young people their support. In the week also came the support from the 20,000 climate scientists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland have signed a petition in support of klimatdemonstrationerna.

Image 1 of 4 Jacob Rask. Photo: Daniel Nilsson Slide 2 of 4 ”It feels important to do something for the climate. What shall we children with an education if we do not have any future?”, says Gustav Peter Nielsen. Photo: Daniel Nilsson Image 3 of 4 ”I want to be with and save our earth, without it we have no future,” says Gwendolyn Pipaluk, 10 years. Photo: Daniel Nilsson Image 4 of 4 ”I'm here to show our politicians that we are many who think that climate is important. They must act now,” says Siri Damshelt. Photo: Daniel Nilsson Slideshow

In Denmark, did not materialize, thousands of students across the country from Friday school to participate in the local klimatdemonstrationer - a total of 32 pieces.

On Slodspladsen in front of the Danish parliament in Copenhagen, it was at eleven o'clock in the morning so a lot of people that one could hardly see half a metre in front of him. Side-by-side with school groups and hordes of young protesters, there were also grandparents who followed with in order to support their grandchildren.

" I want to support all young people that have taken this initiative. I myself am a dad and want to fight for my children to have a future, " says the 30-year-old folkhögskoleläraren Jacob Rask.

Melinda Scott with the kids Liam, Rylan, Blaine and Arinya. On the placard to the right says ”Small faces, powerful hearts. We stand together. The long summer is here. Hear us! Love the earth.” Photo: Tina Zenou

In cities across Australia closed strikes down the streets and squares. Previous skolstrejker was criticised by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, who expressed that the students ”belong in school”. There were not many who cared about this Friday, when nearly 30,000 gathered in the vicinity of the parliament building in Melbourne.

– It is much more important for me to be here than in the classroom. The politicians must listen, " said Margot de Gies, 17 years old, from Brunswick secondary school in Melbourne.

Melinda Scott did not hesitate to take their four children out of the school.

" Not a second! Children learn much more by being here and see how they can use their voices to create change, " she said.

the Family belongs to the indigenous people. The environment and the planet has a special significance for them, she believes.

" We have a sacred connection to the earth. We have much we could teach others about protecting our environment. They just have to listen, " said Melinda Scott.

Read more: See the images from the world's klimatstrejker

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