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 Melbourne’s strike.
Australia has already made history with its largest climate mobilization
ever. Photo: Survival Media Agency
— it's happening.
The sun has set on this historic
first day of the Global Climate Strike and marches in the Pacific — and
for our friends and allies in Africa and Europe, the strikes are hitting
full swing.
Already, turnout numbers from Australia have shattered
previous records, with over 400,000 people demonstrating, and tallies from
Berlin alone put the city's crowd size at 270,000. Beautiful photos are
pouring in from the Pacific, East Asia, and South Asia.
Enjoy the
highlights so far as millions of people like you take to the streets
worldwide before the day’s end. And if these updates below aren’t enough,
follow our live
coverage with the latest updates. It'll be rolling all week as we
make history together.
In solidarity, Nicole
P.S. If you're not
signed up for regular global updates yet, subscribe
to Fossil Free News.
Strike
Highlights
 September 20 in Vanuatu. Photo: Dan
McGarry
Sunrise over the Pacific: The
Solomon Islands kicked off the day, with protestors rowing to shore in
Marovo to perform a traditional warrior dance. “We stand in solidarity
with the global community of strikers by sharing our frontline truths in a
way that resonates with Pacific Island people — through music, folklore,
art, and storytelling.” Over 30 events rolled on across the
Pacific.
With record-breaking turnouts in Melbourne and Sydney,
over 400,000 people turned up across the country — and numbers could tick
higher overnight as more reports come in. In Sydney, major roads in the
city center were shut down. About 380 ship dock workers walked off the job
in Hutchinson Port, according to the Maritime Workers
Union.
 Rain didn’t
stop youth in Mumbai from demanding a safe future. Photo: Fridays for
Future Mumbai.
South Asia: Over 70
events across India brought loads of color and energy into the day. In
Nepal, a rally highlighted climate impacts on the Himalayas and opposed
the government’s plan to start seismic tests for oil and gas drilling. In
Ghoti,
Pakistan, temperatures soared to 41˚C as people called out for
justice.
 Kiev, Ukraine.
Photo: 350 EECCA
Eastern Europe and the Caucasus: Organisers in
Kiev were thrilled to report their strike was the largest climate
mobilization yet. The first of three consecutive strike days kicked off in
the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with others planned across the region.
South Africa: A peaceful march in Johannesburg
kicked off to push for a just transition towards a renewable energy future
without coal. It's the start of a week of positive climate action in
communities, from beach clean-ups to urban gardening and recycled art
workshops. The South African Federation of Trade Unions, which organises
800,000 workers, supports the strikes.
 FridaysforFuture
march in Berlin. Photo: Carmen Viñas
Opening
big: Berlin's march just kicked off with massive
numbers — 270,000 srikers! — despite some public transportation
grinding to a halt. Others in Berlin began to blockade bridges, and a
series of escalatory actions are planned throughout the week.
The
total number of Germany's strikes topped 500 — and many countries in
Europe, including Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands won't even hold
their main strikes until Friday, 27 September. We can expect turnout in
the millions today: Follow
the live coverage for updates.
One
to Watch
This
video of Nairobi’s rally is bound to get you energized. “We're
marching to ask the government to stay on course to achieve 100% renewable
energy," said one protestor.

Not
Just the Streets
At last count, over 3,000 companies have taken part in different
ways — some by shutting their doors, others by giving staff the day
off. More than 7,350 websites are now part of the Digital
Climate Strike, either shutting down for the day or directing people
to follow the global strike online.
Use
Your Voice
Make sure the world knows about your strike. Send us your photos and
videos from today and strikes throughout the week using this
easy portal:
And keep your eyes out tomorrow for a wrap-up video of all of today’s
action, so you can share it far and wide to make our calls even
louder.
We need decision-makers at the United Nations Climate
Action Summit on 23 September to understand what we expect: bold climate
action with climate justice at its heart — and an end to the age of fossil
fuels.
If you're looking for other ways to help keep the movement strong,
please chip in whatever amount you can today:
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