Wednesday 17 September 2014

Global Day of Action

This Sunday, the 21st September 2014, people are coming together from across the world to demonstrate their commitment to climate justice. A Global Day of Action. 

A Day of Action because two days following, Heads of State will be meeting for a summit on the Climate. 

I wanted to write 'yet another summit' but being cynical about it, won't change anything or make me feel any better. Perhaps it was a good time to read this article calling for people to get to the march in New York. 

I am not going to go to New York, nor am I going to London. I shall be joining those in Birmingham. 

On the PeoplesClimate website, I liked the following

'We know that no single meeting or summit will “solve climate change” and in many ways this moment will not even really be about the summit. We want this moment to be about us – the people who are standing up in our communities, to organise, to build power, to confront the power of fossil fuels, and to shift power to a just, safe, peaceful world.'


I used to go on marches and actions a lot more than I do now. For health reasons recently I have not felt as confident but I am getting my confidence back. These marches or days of action changed me more than anything. They inspired me to keep going, to work together with others. I remember a vigil outside parliament during the vote on Trident and I had such an array of emotions; peace, powerful, powerlessness, frustration and hope among what I am sure were many more. At the end of the vigil I felt alive and refreshed, invigorated to do more. 

There is something about bearing witness in the place witness needs to be born. This Sunday, for me, that is in Birmingham. For you, that might be in London, or where you live? Perhaps you will engage online with others that way. 

In my mind, every day is a global action for day, we can change the world everyday through our interaction with others, through our choices and actions. Having said that I don't think it hurts to be a part of a global day of solidarity, to come together and to do something that says, here we are, bearing witness to our commitment to climate justice. That making changes in our own lives is vital but that being a part of a movement demanding systemic change is as vital. 

There are lots of websites that you can look at for more information about Sunday, here are a few

Quakers in Britain

Operation Noah

Friends of the Earth

Peoples Climate

Greenpeace

Peace One Day

Avaaz

There is a shared statement from Quaker groups - Facing the Challenge of Climate Change