Approximately 200 people showed up at the Village office in Cumberland to participate in a climate crisis rally Friday afternoon.
“Incredibly happy [with the turnout],” said Josie Patterson, one of the organizers of the Climate Strike Cumberland Solidarity Rally. “We only officially announced that Cumberland would be having a protest about three days ago… and we had close to 200 people show their support today, which is incredible. And probably over a third to 40 per cent of them were youth, which was also incredible.”
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The Cumberland rally coincided with similar events worldwide. More than 4,600 events were scheduled to take place, in more than 120 countries.
Patterson said the most important message conveyed in the rally was one of accountability.
“We need to hold our government accountable for their inaction on the issue of systemic climate change in our world, and ensure that our world exists in a sustainable way for the [future of our youth],” said Patterson. “This is the start of a revolution worldwide. Greta Thunberg has inspired youth and adults all over the world to finally really come out and speak up, and hold the government accountable, because that is really the action that we need.”
Among the global climate strike rallies was one in New York City that attracted an estimated 200,000 participants.
terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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