Meanwhile in Lima… Charlotte Chan from Young Friends of the Earth reports back on the “world march in defense of mother earth” yesterday when 20,000 people flooded central Lima calling for “Climate Justice Now!” in the largest demonstration the city has seen since 2010….
Human rights is no laughing matter, it’s a basic need for everyone.
It doesn’t matter whether you chose to wear a suit or a poncho when you wake up, we all freely have the right to clean water, fresh air and a place to call home.
Side by side we marched and chanted making a stand for climate justice.
Brimming full of colour, music and passion the march packed a punch, attracting thousands if supporters from all over South America and the world making it Lima’s largest march to date.
Banners were held up high speaking of climate justice, indigenous rights and womens’ rights, amongst others. A group of very tall papier mache people attracted attention as they danced around accompanied by their own brass band. Music filled the streets.
The youth banged their plastic container drums with their hand designs, others drummed with additional percussion and the indigenous group blew their pan pipes. Overgrown maize even made and appearance and a giant bike (created at casa tierra), Captain America tagged along too.
At times the march became a sprint to close the gap from one banner to the next, making it more of a climate dash – and why not? This is one emergency we cant avoid if we want any chance of staying alive, so lets run to the solution with urgency.
Although the threat is clearly there with increased droughts, floods and sea level rise; developed countries continue to take the back seat instead of leading on clearing up their mess.
Let’s hope they get the message loud and clear and start looking at ways to change the system not the climate.
Footage from the march