Time magazine hailed16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg as 2019’s Person of The Year. The recognition marks Thunberg as the youngest person to be given the title since the tradition began back in 1927.
Thunberg is recognized for inspiring a worldwide fight against climate change. Before the announcement was made by Time magazine, the young activist spoke to Madrid’s UN climate change summit. Thunberg urged world leaders to halt “creative PR” to avoid and distract from committing real action.
.@GretaThunberg is TIME's 2019 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/YZ7U6Up76v pic.twitter.com/SWALBfeGl6
— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2019
The activist notes that the next decade will be crucial in defining the earth’s future.
#FridaysForFuture is a movement that Thunberg started last year. It encouraged the younger generation to walk out of classes and hold environmental strikes on Fridays. The global movement has gained momentum and has inspired millions of teenagers from around the world.
Thunberg herself started the movement by missing classes on most Fridays to hold protests outside Sweden’s parliament building. The move gathered international media attention.
Since then, the 16-year-old has been the face of the climate movement and a strong advocate for climate action. Thunberg is a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. We’ll be watching you,” she sternly told world leaders at the event.
The Nobel Peace Prize nominee reacted to her Time Person of the Year recognition on Twitter. Reposting a photo of the magazine’s latest cover Thunberg wrote:
“Wow, this is unbelievable! I share this great honour with everyone in the #FridaysForFuture movement and climate activists everywhere.”
Wow, this is unbelievable! I share this great honour with everyone in the #FridaysForFuture movement and climate activists everywhere. #climatestrike https://t.co/2t2JyA6AnM pic.twitter.com/u4JUD4cgCz
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 11, 2019