26 September 2019

Over 200 Samuel Marsden Collegiate School students, from Year 8 to Year 13, have signed up to be part of the Climate Change protest at Parliament tomorrow. ‘Globally we are seeing young people stand up and ensure their voices are heard on a subject crucial to their generation and to their futures’, says Principal Narelle Umbers. ‘We are proud that our girls want to be part of this global action’.

Marsden students will walk, as a group, from Karori down to Parliament and join Bishop Justin Duckworth and other representatives of the Anglican diocese on the parliamentary lawn. Bishop Duckworth notes that previous climate strikes in March and May have been overwhelmingly positive events, drawing thousands of people and attracting support from hundreds of New Zealand academics, scientists and educators. The purpose of this latest protest is to highlight the urgency of climate change and show decision-makers the extent of public support for bold action.

Marsden is a member of Enviroschools, an environmental action based programme where young people are empowered to design and lead sustainability projects in their schools, neighbourhoods and country. Through this, through their classes and through their own social action, students are learning that climate change is a very real threat to all of our futures. ‘Our students want to do more than just sit by – they want to take action’ says Ms Umbers. Students at the school were very keen to be involved and ‘through our relationship with the Anglican Church, we are strengthened and supported in our commitment to confronting the problems of climate change’, she says.

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