The Girl Who Started A Chant In The UN

The afternoon of the UN Youth Climate Summit featured a “Town Hall” session, during which a panel of world leaders answer direct questions from young people. Obviously, this was the moment many young activists were waiting for; a chance to ask questions and get straight answers in understandable language.

During the session, Swetha Saseedhar, an NYC-based activist, broke out in chant after challenging the whole purpose of the Youth Summit. She started by asking:

“Dear world leaders, I ask you.. What is the purpose of this Youth Summit if two days from now you are letting fossil fuel corporations and CEO’s of corporations take the stage along with member nations and allowing them to influence climate policy when they are the ones that created this crisis?” and added “You claim you want to listen to youth’s solutions but this feels more like a photo-op”.

Swetha stood up from her seat and was joined by her fellow colleagues in chanting:

“The emergency is now; time to kick polluters out!”

This is what happens when you invite young activists to the UN. Young people are trained to think critically and to speak up when their bullshit-meter goes off. It is difficult to trust when life is governed by a decision-making system that seems inherently outdated, favouring corporations that are part of the problem rather than the solution.

The complete UN Youth Climate Summit is available to watch on Youtube. Fast forward to 2:08:30 to watch Swetha pose her question and bring activism into the UN.

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Global Climate Strike - NYC, 20/09/'19

On Friday, 20th of September, climate strikes took place all over the world – a truly global event initiated by Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement. In New York City alone, 1.1 million students were excused from school in order to participate in the strike.

I arrived a day early to the UN Young Climate Summit, taking place on Saturday that same week, and had a chance to participate. I marched alongside climate activists young and old in the streets of NYC. Even though I had seen pictures of similar marches, such as the women’s march, I was unprepared for the emotional effect it would have on me.

In situations where I don't agree with something, my go-to strategy is to rationalize, thereby eliminating the emotion, and start a conversation. I worried that the one-directional communication that strikes and marches offer would feel too angry to me.

Little did I know, I was up for a shock. Feelings of fear, hurt, love and hope were ingredients to the emotional cocktail I experienced. At different points during the march each of these feelings crept up and came out through a chant, a hug or even just a nod of understanding. I never knew the emotional power this movement could hold.

The pictures below will hopefully give you an idea of the march. I highly recommend joining the next climate action march in your town; the human unity it creates can feel magical.

A Revolutionary Week For Climate Action

This week, 20-27 September, is completely dedicated to Climate Action. Climate strikes will be taking place all over the world, mobilising millions of young people and adults that refuse to accept the status quo. Over the last year, school climate strikers have been leaving their classrooms every Friday – following Greta Thunberg’s example and joining her Fridays For Future movement. Make sure you have a look on https://globalclimatestrike.net/ to see what climate action strikes and events are taking place in your area and demand action!

The Empowered Atom will participate in the Climate Strike in New York City, joining Greta Thunberg in marching to demand real action by our world leaders. The day also marks and remembers the second anniversary of Hurricane Maria, which destroyed many lives in Puerto Rico. A hint of what climate change could mean to our societies in the short term. The march will include speeches and performances that highlight the importance of immediate Climate Action.

On Saturday, the first ever UN Youth Climate Action Summit will take place at the UN Headquarters in Manhattan - a revolutionary day in climate policy. I have been selected to participate and join others young activists, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are committed to combatting climate change. In the afternoon we will get a chance to engage with world leaders and ask them the questions young people have been dying to ask. Find out how you can get involved too on https://www.un.org/en/actnow/index.shtml

This week, leading up to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on Monday, is so key to our battle against climate change. It connects young people, scared and fighting for the future, to our current leaders - giving us opportunity to shape the future of the world together.