In a week of action between friday 20th of September and today 27th, the world has witnessed the most inspiring days in the climate movement around the world with millions marching. It was inspiring to see thousands of students and activists from the MENA region joining the voices of millions around the globe marking the largest climate mobilization in world history.
These activities and events around the MENA region are part of weeklong protests inspired by the Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg‘s “Fridays For Future” movement, demanding in one voice and one message: governments need to take immediate action to climate change.
Morocco
In a partnership between Greenpeace MENA and the local association of Teachers of Sciences and Earth studies – AEVST, a call for protests was made in 5 Moroccan cities: Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fez and Demnate. By end of today, thousands of participants have marched the streets of these cities calling for action on climate. NGOs, volunteers, social clubs, teachers and scouts joined in those marches calling for climate actions. Greenpeace MENA’ volunteers were key partners in the marches in Marrakech and Casablanca.
Lebanon
Greenpeace MENA collaborated with a Lebanese graffiti group, Ashekman, to create a mural to highlight “air pollution”, the biggest threat of burning fossil fuel. The mural represents a gas mask highlighting the serious levels of air pollution that Lebanon suffer from. The Northern city of Jounieh was ranked fifth among the most polluted cities in the Arab world, according to a Greenpeace report released in October 2018. The wall is located in the infamous Karantina area, north of Beirut, that is also suffering from high level of air pollution and environmental degradation. The unveiling of the mural on September 20th was joined by activists from the lebanse students “striking for climate” and greenpeace volunteers. Today on September 27th, a group of more than 100 strikers marched the streets of Beirut and demanded real action for the climate and prioritisation of environmental issues in Lebanon.
Many other activists across the MENA region showed their interest with the climate demands and registered events on the global map of “fridays for future”. Several students from across other countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia joined the strikes. The events took many forms, from a march to a workshop or a beach clean-up, students from the region were standing fighting for the environment and calling for a better future.
Climate change is the most important threat of our time and we are running out of time.. We all need to act. Please join the movement and make your voice heard.
Climate change is happening. Those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis are the most at risk. That’s why a growing number of communities are taking legal action: to hold governments and fossil fuel companies accountable and to secure their rights to a stable climate and healthy environment.