Many Armidale school students will go on strike in support of a global climate walk out organised for the day. Local organiser Disa Smart said a rally will be held at Central Park between 9am-11am on Friday, September 20.
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The strike is timed to demand world leaders attending the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23, adopt a strategy for emergency action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"I expect attendance at this strike and rally to be high in view of the epic drought, extreme water shortages and catastrophic bushfires devastating rural NSW farmers, communities and wildlife, including our own New England region," she said.
"This time the global strike is calling upon adults to leave their workplaces and attend the strike in support of the world's youth and their quest to tackle climate change."
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Friday climate strikes were started by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has taken a year off school to lobby the international community for climate action, and is in New York to attend the global climate summit.
Greta has inspired a generation of youth around the world.
"Adults keep saying 'we owe it to the young people to give them hope'," she said.
"But I don't want your hope. I don't want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day.
"Then I want you to act as if your house is on fire. Because it is."