A message from the Vancouver Climate Strike Coalition:

Dear Vancouver PACs,

On Friday, September 20, thousands of young people, students, parents, teachers and community members are set to march in the 2024 Global Climate Strike, taking place on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) lands / Vancouver.

As a parent, PAC executive member and volunteer with the Vancouver Climate Strike Coalition, I’m writing to ask if your PAC would kindly support your school’s students, families and educators interested in participating in the following ways:

• Pledge your school’s support for the 2024 Global Climate Strike with notices on the PAC website, newsletter and/or social media accounts
• Ask the Vancouver School Board to excuse absences by students who receive parental permission to attend the strike
• Encourage the School Board to support teachers who wish to take students on a curricular-related field trip to the strike
• Distribute climate change teaching resources to your school’s educators

Global Climate Strikes first began marching around the world in 2018, inspired by a then- 16-year-old Swedish student. In Vancouver, the 2019 march drew more than 100,000 young people and supporters of all ages to the streets, and inspired the Vancouver City Council to become the first municipality in Canada to declare a Climate Emergency.

Despite this trailblazing step and widespread local support for climate action, our city is now on track to miss the climate action targets our youth worked so hard to obtain. Vancouver City Council is also on the verge of reversing another important climate action policy this fall.

The impact of climate inaction on youth mental health is stark. More than 70 per cent of Canadian youth, ages 16-25, report that they are frightened for the future, and 69 per cent feel abandoned by their government.

The vibrant, family-friendly Vancouver Climate Strike on Friday, September 20, presents a timely opportunity to boost climate change education in classrooms, and empower youth to continue raising their voices peacefully on this increasingly pressing issue.

Could your PAC please help us inform students and their families about this year’s march?

To aid the communication process, here are teaching resources that can be forwarded to educators for use in the classroom leading up to the demonstration and visuals that can be shared on social media accounts.

Please let me know how your PAC would like to help and if you have any questions.

Thank you so much for your time and support!

Sincerely,

Jennie Milligan

Vancouver Climate Strike Outreach Committee