- Title: Greta Thunberg, a possible contender for the 2019 peace prize
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: Thunberg is awarded the Amnesty International 2019 Ambassador of Conscience Award. She says in her speech that 'activism works'. WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 16, 2019) (REUTERS) THUNBERG TAKING THE STAGE / AUDIENCE APPLAUDING, TAKING PICTURES AND VIDEO WITH SMARTPHONES (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLIMATE ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, SAYING: "Activism works (audience applauding, cheering). So what I'm telling you to do now, is to act. Because no one is too small to make a difference." AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AND CHEERING THUNBERG ON STAGE WITH KUMI NAIDOO, SECRETARY GENERAL, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HOLDING AWARD Two days after arriving in New York, Thunberg meets the President of the United Nations General Assembly and says there are high expectations on the upcoming U.N. climate summit UNITED NATIONS (AUGUST 30, 2019) (REUTERS) THUNBERG SHAKING HANDS WITH UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT, MARÃA FERNANDA ESPINOSA THUNBERG SITTING ALONGSIDE TEEN CLIMATE ACTIVISTS, ALEXANDRIA VILLASENOR AND XIYE BASTIDA IN ESPINOSA'S OFFICE SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH CLIMATE ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, SAYING: "I think this UN summit needs to be some kind of breaking point, tipping point, where people start to realise what is actually going on. And, so we have high expectations in you to, and all member states to deliver. And we are going to try to do our part to make sure that they have all eyes on them and they have put the pressure on them so they cannot continue to ignore it." ESPINOSA SPEAKING TO ACTIVISTS
- Embargoed: 12th September 2019 19:55
- Keywords: EU Parliament climate politics Fridays for Future Greta Thunberg Sweden global warming U.N trans-atlantic Congress Pope Francis Climate activism Barack Obama
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Environment,Editors' Choice,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00RAUAJM13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Climate activist Greta Thunberg is a possible contender for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg pioneered a climate change campaign that swelled from a one-person school strike by the then 15-year-old to a worldwide movement, drawing in millions of school children, and adults too, who are demanding action on climate change.
Thunberg first drew attention in August 2018 when she skipped school to protest outside Swedish parliament each Friday.
The teen activist was soon joined by a small group of other school strikers in Stockholm, before the campaign attracted tens of thousands of students in more than 24 countries, taking part in Friday school strikes around the world.
By March 2019, the number of students taking part in worldwide Friday demonstrations hit more than two million across 135 countries.
The now 16-year-old has since been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, named one of the world's most influential people by Time magazine and appeared on its cover. Thunberg has also been awarded at the French Normandy Freedom Prize and Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award.
In less than a year since starting the "Fridays for Future" campaign, Thunberg has addressed European Parliament, met Pope Francis and addressed the UK's House of Commons.
In August 2019, Thunberg sailed into New York Harbour on a zero-carbon emissions vessel, completing a nearly 14-day journey from England to take part in a United Nations climate summit. Meanwhile, the total number of climate strikers reached 3.6 million people across 169 countries.
During her first visit to the United States, Thunberg met with former president Barack Obama, the President of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa and addressed Congress, where she told them to "wake up" and "listen to the science".
The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 11, at 1100 a.m. (0900GMT) and the prize, worth 9 million Swedish crowns ($ 1.12 million), will be handed over on December 10, 2019.
(Production: Aiden Nulty, Lucy Marks, Vanessa Romeo, Paul Warren) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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