On Friday, 20th September, students all over the world, including thousands of Irish students, took part in what has been described as ‘the largest global climate protest in history’.
While several thousand students marched from Dublin’s Custom House to Merrion Square, thousands more marched in cities and towns across Ireland including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Drogheda, Navan, and Dundalk. In all, these student-led protests took place in more than 50 towns, across 18 counties.
Many primary and second-level students from Educate Together’s network of schools have been actively involved in the ‘Fridays for Future’ movement, started by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year old Swedish activist, in August 2018 and have played a central role in organising the climate strikes in Ireland.
Outlining the concerns and demands of her fellow students, Molly Mercier Redmond, a student from North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School, insisted “the government must put the climate breakdown at the forefront of all decisions”.
Mira Henchi, a student in Cork Educate Together Secondary School, described climate change as an “inter-generational issue”.
“We’re all in this together, young and old,” she said.
Educate Together CEO, Paul Rowe, said “supporting and encouraging student voices and valuing active citizenship is central to what Educate Together is aiming to achieve in its schools and we are proud of the students for their leadership in taking action on this important and urgent issue”.
