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From the Pacific to the Arctic, in Uganda, Madagascar, as in Tokyo, Hamburg, Brussels or Peshawar, huge crowds of young people joined the "global climate strike" on Friday in order to demand that generations take action against the announced climate disaster. In New York, with Greta Thunberg in the lead, the protesters invaded Manhattan, turned into a human tide. Several countries in the world have followed suit.
From our correspondent in New York , Loubna Anaki
The demonstrators literally invaded southern Manhattan. They were so numerous that the main square where this gathering took place was not enough to welcome them. The first estimates speak of at least 50,000 people. The organizers hope to reach 1 million by the end of the evening.
In the crowd, there are high school students, college students, schoolchildren. Schools have specifically allowed their students to miss classes. Some institutions have even made a trip to educate the little ones on environmental issues.
" A turning point for the climate ... "
The young people are there in strength and they want to make their voices heard. " We want to protect our future ", " Save the planet ", " Stop fossil energies ". So many slogans repeated this Friday. Many adults have also joined the movement.
Greta Thunberg also found the protesters. The young Swede, the face of this movement, said she hoped " this day is a turning point for the climate ".
In New York, the demonstration, symbolically enough, is only a few meters away or another resistance movement took place: that of the occupation of Wall Street in 2011.
Thousands of protesters in New York for #ClimateStrike https://t.co/bflsR4hGxY
Sonia Dridi (@Sonia_Dridi) September 20, 2019■ Reportage in Paris
Everyone is talking about fashion and all that, but nobody thinks about ecology.
In France, activists of all ages 20/09/2019 - by Christine Siebert Play
■ Reportage in Madagascar, the awakening of consciences
In Madagascar, green t-shirts on the back, a hundred young people like Mirindra Rakotoarisoa Climates association survey different popular areas of the capital. Their goal is to teach 10 eco-friendly gestures - like turning off the light or the kerosene lamp, unplugging electronic devices, or bringing your own bag to the market - to limit the negative impacts of climate change.
After the sensitization, in a public garden, the volunteers discuss their future actions and their difficulties. " The Ministry of the Environment calls us when they need free labor for their reforestation operations. Or to have young people on his pictures in front of the journalists. But when one asks to be heard to exchange on projects of funds that one develops, there, one does not interest any more ", irritates an activist.
Billy Rakotonjanahary, a member of the Tsy Hanan Droa Nitan association (literally " We do not have a planet B "), also deplores this lack of consideration of the authorities towards them.
" Let's be obstinate! What the state, the so-called thinkers, our parents say, is not always true! And facing them, we lack the courage to assert our convictions. So, young people, wake up! It's '' ours '' Madagascar! They have already lived their lives! We will still live here a long time, think of our children, our grandchildren! "
■ In South Africa, a company in the line of sight of protesters
In South Africa, the demonstrators decided to mobilize symbolically in front of the thermal power station of Secunda in the province of Mpumalanga. This is the place where there is the most concentration of CO2 emissions in the world. According to Shanon, Sasol is the main face of pollution in South Africa.
So, a thousand people asked the company to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Among them, Sunny Morgan, an activist who calls South Africans to join the protesters. " Civil society is well aware. We are ready to combine and create considerable strength to withstand the continued pollution and degradation of the planet by the coal sector, which is why Sasol is our first target. Coal accounts for almost 90% of the country's electricity production.