Jesuit school students demand climate justice in Downing Street vigil

Jules Gibson from Jesuit Missions with St Ignatius pupils Isiah Meme, Sheniece Mills, Teyana Taylor and Skaiste Simson in Whitehall

Pupils from a Jesuit school took part in a 'Fridays for the Future' demonstration in central London, calling on the UK Government to help protect the environment.

On Friday (19 September) students from St Ignatius College, Enfield, stood in Whitehall, opposite 10 Downing Street, where they prayed and chanted for the future of our planet.

The event, which was organised by international development organisation Jesuit Missions, sought to raise awareness of the impact of climate change, particularly on some of the world's poorest places.

Pupils held up homemade banners championing causes such as a move towards renewable energy and shouted slogans such as 'one planet, one chance' in the direction of the Prime Minister's office.

They also took time to pray a special environmental Examen - a reflective meditation where they considered the impact climate change has on them and the wider world.

It was inspired by the global 'Fridays for the Future' movement, a youth-led initiative that began in 2018 when environmental activist Greta Thunberg, aged 15, spent the day sitting outside the Swedish parliament demanding climate action.

Year 13 Sheniece Mills said: "Pope Francis left behind a legacy in [his environmental encyclical letter] Laudato Si'; we are created in God's image, and this planet is a gift.

"We are stewards and not owners. We must care for this planet, we must help this planet, and we need to strive for climate justice."

Year 13 Derrick Nimoh said: "I came here because I care for the planet, and you should care for the planet too. We are part of God's creation and are tasked with the protection of our natural environment, of which we are a part. We are responsible for taking care of the world we live in and sharing all the wonderful resources the earth gives us."

Jules Gibson, Community Engagement Manager at Jesuit Missions, said: "We provided a platform for pupils from St Ignatius College to be agents of change and call for climate justice. They were truthful in their call for leaders to act in the lead up to COP30 in November, and eloquent in their engagement with the public. System change, not climate change!"

Jesuit Missions has consistently campaigned for action on the environment, including asking politicians to push for clear climate targets at the annual Conference of the Parties (COP).

LINKS

St Ignatius College: www.st-ignatius.enfield.sch.uk

Fridays for the Future encourages schoolchildren to think about the impact of climate change and to engage with political leaders to secure action on the environment. More information about the campaign can be found here: https://fridaysforfuture.org/

Jesuit Missions: https://jesuitmissions.org.uk/