 |
|
|
|
 |
|
07 November 2006
I Count climate change rally review
Nicholas Martlew reports on Saturday's rally against climate change.
Let me take you on a journey, a journey of realisation, energy, and jokes about chess. It begins, like all good stories, in Wakefield Westgate.
On Saturday I joined a group of 30-odd climate change campaigners on a train from Leeds to London. The train buzzed with quiet determination, rustled with medium-sized banners, and squawked with large-scale confusion over who was sitting where. Alison, a former Lancastrian, declared: ‘I’m proper well excited.’ And weren’t we all?
Two-and-a-bit hours later we had completed the pilgrimage to the I Count rally in Trafalgar Square. First impressions were: what’s going on? On a festival-type stage, the compère admirably filled the minutes before…before what? It was something of a mystery.
In the confusion, we mingled. Familiar faces from campaigning events of yore popped up beneath banners. Campaigners of all hues were there and, most impressively, people who wouldn’t have normally called themselves ‘campaigners’, but who felt that climate change is an issue that concerns us all. As Hilary, a fellow campaigner, said: ‘I’m very excited that it’s not confined to activists - people from all sectors of society are here.’
Then came star after star on the stage - all introduced by Simon Amstel off of t’telly. Opinions were divided as to whether Amstel was tasteless, offensive or bleedin’ hilarious. When he said: ‘And now we’ve got Bishop James, moving diagonally of course - A chess joke for you there,’ I was sold. Campaigning newcomer Tom put it diplomatically: ‘Simon didn’t really adjust his material to his audience, but I didn’t mind!’
Anyway, Simon Amstel certainly got everyone’s blood pumping, so all of the speakers were very warmly received, and most spoke with such energy and conviction that the feeling of I Count built and built.
Adam Hart Davis, the TV historian and bloke from the tax commercials, blew people’s socks off with his passion: ‘I count; we count; now let’s make those politicians down the road take notice and take action!’
Sharon Looremata, a Masai woman, spoke about how failed rains threaten the very survival of her community in Kenya’s Rift Valley. The personal touch had a great impact on many including my friend Jack who said: ‘It was a real eye-opener. I didn’t realise how much climate change is affecting the world right now; not 20 years down the line, but right now.'
And that means action right now. The stonking performances by KT Tunstall and Razorlight built to a fantastic climax of thousands of people screaming ‘I COUNT!’ If we can take that energy, that belief that we can, and must, make a difference, back to Wakefield Westgate or wherever, I’m sure we can build an irresistible movement for change.
The message is out: you count. World leaders take notice. The world’s people: take action.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Nick Martlew was born in Malaysia. This is his interesting fact. A graduate of Oxford and Sheffield, Nick then sold his soul to Oxfam for the price of lunch and travel. As a campaigns volunteer in Leeds he took part in the Change programme and he is now an intern, researching Oxfam's humanitarian protection work.
Ideally, Nick would like to be paid, perhaps even in a job he enjoys, like in advocacy or speech-writing.
Until then, he is editor of www.global-politics.co.uk. That was a plug, by the way.
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Write for Generation Why
Nicholas Martlew, 25, from Wakefield is a member of the Write for Generation Why team. We're always looking for talented, passionate writers and can offer great support and advice. |
|
|
|
 |
|
