Greta Thunberg, the 16- years- old Swedish climate activist on Friday addressed a gathering outside the White House and said that the movement will not relent in its demands for action.
During a public gathering, while having a conversation, Greta said, “I just want to say I’m so incredibly grateful for every single one of you, I’m so proud of you, who have come here, and I – it’s a lot of people. This is overwhelming,”
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“Just never give up, we will continue and see you next week,” Thunberg said while referring to the Global Climate Strike planned for September 20, Efe news reported.
In August 2018, Thunberg began skipping school on Friday to demonstrate outside Sweden’s Parliament. Her example has been emulated by thousands of students worldwide, giving rise to future movement.
“This is very overwhelming,” she said softly into a megaphone after the march in front of the White House, during which she walked amid the other activists. “See you next week,” she said towards the end of the event while referring to a planned 20 September global “Climate Strike” in which youth and adults are encouraged to walk out of school or work to urge more action on climate change.
Her trip to the US comes as the United Nations is set to hold a climate action summit in New York this month, where she has been invited to deliver a speech on 23 September.
In July, the owners of the racing yacht Malizia II, which is skippered by Pierre Casiraghi – son of Monaco’s Princess Caroline – and German distance sailor Boris Herrmann, offered Thunberg a ride to New York.
The carbon-free vessel, which relies on solar panels and hydro-turbines for auxiliary power and is equipped with sensors that collect data on ocean acidity, sailed from Plymouth, in southern England, on Aug. 14, and reached New York two weeks later.