Aranya Doloi
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Age is just a number! And that’s exactly what Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist showed the world today. The teenage activist whose voice has risen to a prominent one in campaigns against climate change has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Fridays for future. The school strike continues! #climatestrike #klimatstrejk #FridaysForFuture pic.twitter.com/5jej011Qtp
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 16, 2018
However, the journey was no easy for Greta Thunberg, given that she had to miss school since 2015. The budding activist cut a frail and lonely figure when she missed school to sit outside the Swedish Parliament every Friday since August last year. And she had just one thing in mind; bringing her country in line with the Paris climate agreement. Her parents tried to dissuade her, friends refused to join in and passersby expressed pity and bemusement at the sight of an insignificant 15-year-old sitting on the cobblestones with a hand-painted banner that said ‘SCHOOL STRIKE FOR CLIMATE’.
Seven months on, what the world witnessed is an entirely different picture. The pigtailed teenager has become a model of determination, inspiration and positive action. Her banner has been translated into languages across the world. And the most striking? The lonely child on the cobblestones is now anything but alone.
On March 15, the world famous teenager will stand in front of the Swedish parliament again, like she had done almost every Friday in sun, snow and rain. But this time not alone; the whole world will join hands with Thunberg. Thousands of students across 100 countries will walk out of their classrooms this Friday to participate in one of the biggest environmental protests that world has ever seen. She even generated a viral social media wave under the hashtag #FridaysForFuture.
Isn’t it wonderful to see young people putting their leaders to shame with their passion and determination?
