School Strike for Climate in Ayvalık: Future Depends on What We Do Today

* Photographs: Elif Ünal

Click to read the article in Turkish

Initiated by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg from Sweden in August 2018, "school strikes for climate" have been growing apace across the world.

Since March 15, 2019, 11-year-old Ege Edman and his fellow friends have been going on a school strike for climate in Ayvalık, Balıkesir every Friday.

This week's strike has also been attended by Atlas Sarrafoğlu and Deniz Çevikuş from İstanbul as well as Ayvalık Mayor Mesut Ergin.

Ege Edman: We must all take action

Attending the school strikes for climate in Ayvalık every Friday, 13-year-old Ege Edman has made a call to people to take an action for climate:

"If we do not take any action to stop the global warming in the next 12 years, there will be no planet left for us children to live.

"Scientists are publishing reports over reports and say that we have to change the system that we are living in immediately. But, what are the governments waiting for to take precautions that will prevent this collapse?

"Climate crisis is a fact. And it is saying, 'I am coming.' What will happen in the near future depends on what we are doing now. We must all change! We must all take action! Now, it is time for the ones in charge to pioneer."

Çevikuş: Humans' turn to go extinct will also come

11-year-old climate striker Deniz Çevikuş has also stated that she would like to explain the gravity of the situation with an example.

Referring to a report by the United Nations (UN) International Science-Policy Platform, Çevikuş has stated that around one million of eight million 700 species are in danger of becoming extinct due to climate change, underlining that "humans' turn to go extinct will also come."

"That is exactly why we, the children, are trying to prevent it. And your part as adults is to give an ear to us and take the necessary precautions", Çevikuş has further said.

Sarrafoğlu: Declare a state of emergency on climate

In his speech in Ayvalık, 11-year-old Atlas Sarrafoğlu has referred to the news on African countries, such as Somalia, that have declared a state of emergency due to drought and made a call to Ayvalık Municipality to follow suit by declaring a state of emergency on climate change.

Sarrafoğlu has also invited other students and his fellow friends to the global school strike for climate to be held on May 24.

Ayvalık Mayor: Climate will be our priority

After their speeches, children have talked to Mayor of Ayvalık Mesut Ergin, who also attended the strike. Listening to the demands of children, Ergin has promised the children to look into the Paris Climate Agreement and said:

"Seeing you like this is a source of hope for us as well. It will be our priority to ensure that Ayvalık will set an example to Turkey in that regard." (EÜ/PT/SD)