Young climate activists prepare to launch new book

Young climate activists prepare to launch new book

Anuna De Wever and Kyra Gantois, the two Flemish activists who spearheaded the launch of the Youth for Climate initiative in Belgium, are preparing a book titled "We are the climate. A letter to all", which will be published on 8 March. Through the book, the two environmental activists aim to extend a hand to politicians and political decision-makers as well as their peers and all adults, publisher De Bezige Bij announced on Tuesday.

The 64-page book has been set to music by Flemish writer Jeroen Olyslaegers, and will cost 8.99 euros. Half of the proceeds from its sale will go to the Youth for Climate collective, the publishing house announced.

In January Anuna, 17, and Kyra, 19, called on students to skip school every Thursday and march through the streets of Brussels to force political decision-makers to take strong climate measures.

The first ecological march, on 10 January, drew about 3,000 students. Each week since, this movement to save the planet has kept growing, attaining a record 35,000 participants on 24 January. The demonstrations continue to draw crowds, with an average of about 10,000 committed youths hitting the streets of the capital each Thursday.

Aruna and Kyra both drew inspiration from Greta Thunberg, who has become an icon of the fight against global warming. The young activist from Stockholm, Sweden, last year decided, alone, to skip school every Friday to call for action against climate change. The teenager, still in braids, would spend the day sitting outside the Swedish parliament with a cardboard placard bearing the inscription: “Social Strike for the Climate”.


The Brussels Times


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