75 students at the British International School of Washington skipped school on 20 September in a demonstration of solidarity with thousands of young people around the world as part of a global climate strike.
The strike came before the UN Climate Action Summit on Monday 23 September, which kicks off a week of climate actions and events planned around the world. Students around the world are striking for more to be done to combat climate change.
“This is a call on adults to do their job, to ensure their children’s future” BISW students at the march said.
The President of the BISW Global Goals club, Elodie, organised for BISW students to participate in the strike.
Many chants echoed through the march to the Capitol Hill in DC, demanding for climate justice.
“chants like ‘no more coal, no more oil, keep that carbon in the soil’ and ‘shame on you’ perpetuated the energy felt by everyone who participated” Elodie said.
“It’s important to get students involved in issues that they can make a difference in. Today, the youth make up a large part of the political voice in the social media, and making that voice louder is vital to making real change” Elodie said.
This echoed views of one of the speakers at the climate strike, Tokata Iron Eyes, from the Standing Rock Nation in North Dakota. She addressed the protesting students during her speech asking, all the young people understand their power.
BISW students marched for many reasons. One participant, Thora shared hers.
“To support the cause of young people taking the issue of climate change into their own hands because adults weren't doing anything.”
Students held posters to illustrate their worry for a future that they may not have. Elodie found the strike to be full of passion and anger.
Elodie said ”people who joined the strike are fed up with our governments not doing anything to clean up the mess they have made, so it’s left to us to try and pick up the pieces and save the planet before it’s too late”
The importance of the strike was evident, with young activists hoping to make a difference and shape the conversation that is expected to be had at the UN, whilst encouraging legislation to improve the environment before further irreversible damage is made.
“The strike was really important because in the past decades rising temperature have worsened weather events, ice in the Antarctic have broken apart and more! If we stay living like this our planet will slowly become extinct and end before our eyes close. And our only chance to save our planet is if all us students push governments to fix our planet before it’s too late. And to say there is still time to fix our mistakes,” BISW student Sara said.
Reflecting upon the strike BISW students, in the IB common room, shared that they felt happy to see that people are doing something and that they were able to be a part of it. As they thought it was important because of how many people gathered there to protest an issue that will hugely affect our lives someday if we do nothing about it.
After completing the march Sara shared that “by gathering around the Capitol Building with students and adults spreading awareness and catching the eye of the government displaying the desperate need for change could be the beginning of fixing our planet.”
Students at BISW hope that their cries will be heard by the US government and that the US will finally lead by example.
“The strike will cause governments to take notice of the need for change. hopefully the fact that more youths will be voting in the 2020 US elections will make them change their ways before a rebellion starts,” Elodie said.
Saher Ahmed
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