She is the face of the „Fridays for Future“ protests for more climate protection: Greta Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The movement is expected to reach its peak tomorrow.
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg started protesting for more climate protection in front of the Swedish government’s headquarters in Stockholm. Meanwhile, students all over the world have joined their goal: Every Friday, they take to the streets under the motto „Fridays for Future“ and consciously skip school lessons. For their commitment Thunberg was even proposed by Swedish politicians for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The 16-year-old has launched „a mass movement“, which he considers an important contribution to peace, said Freddy Andre Östvegard, a member of the Swedish Socialist Left. Together with two party colleagues, he had proposed Thunberg for the Nobel Prize at the end of January – in good time before the deadline expired to submit nomination proposals.
Thunberg is in favor of a „global emergency“
Thunberg was „honored and very grateful,“ tweeted the 9th grader in response. To be considered for such an award is „unbelievable and a little strange“, she added in an interview with the Swedish newspaper „Aftonbladet“.
The potential Nobel laureate is only just beginning to see her commitment to a more climate-friendly future, as Thunberg emphasized in an interview with the news agency dpa: „Why on earth should we stop now? We have not even started yet.“ And she adds:
„The ultimate goal is for the international community to declare a global emergency and start protecting the living conditions on Earth.“
Protests planned around the world
The „Fridays for Future“ protests will reach their expected climax this Friday: actions are planned in more than 100 countries worldwide. By the afternoon supporters from almost 1700 cities had announced their participation via the movement’s Twitter account. On the German website of „Fridays for Future“ it was said that nationwide there should probably be demonstrations and rallies in about 150 cities.
Tolerate conscious cocks?
The student protests find both great approval and contradiction. Parents, under the motto „Parents for Future“, advocate that young people face no school referrals or other disciplinary measures when they skip class to go to the demonstrations.
Around 20,000 scientists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland have signed a joint statement to make clear their support.
And even Chancellor Angela Merkel already found words of praise for the movement. However, politics also debates the limits of the movement and how far tolerance can go if hundreds of students miss class every week.
