The world is facing a climate emergency, with real impacts on the lives and futures of all people here in Waterloo Region. That’s why this September 20th – 27th we are RISING UP to demand bold climate action and justice alongside millions of people around the world – join us!

• UW and Laurier crowds gather on their campuses [~10:00am],
• Processions leave from UW and Laurier and meet up along the way [~10:45],
• Processions arrive from UW, Laurier, and local schools [~11:15],
• 11:30 Indigenous Welcome. The Blue Sky Singers and Cedar Hill Singers will provide an opening and then Sydney Hannusch and Andrew Judge will speak,
• 12:00-1:30 the following happens:
• Church bells ring (Bells For Future),
• Flash Mob: Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, organized by Julie Baumgartel and conducted by Mark Vuorinen,
• Short speeches,
• Voting for A Safe Climate action, adults pledge to give their votes to kids at mock voting booths,
• Chanting,
• Closing with Outside Voices choir leading crowd in song: “The Tide is Rising (lyrics)”, “Blowing in the Wind (lyrics)” and “Sing for the Climate Belgium (lyrics)”,

Climate strike Waterloo Region and Fridays for Future Waterloo Region strikes have been organized by youth from local middle and high schools; students and professors from the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University; and members of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Communities for Conservation, The Council of Canadians, Divest Waterloo, Extinction Rebellion, Kitchener-Waterloo Climate Save, and Rise for Climate Waterloo Region.

We will have photographers and videographers at the strike. We will be using photos and videos for promoting future strikes, and they will be posted on social media. Also, The Museum in downtown Kitchener will be mounting an exhibit in January about the climate crisis, and they will feature photographs from our strike in the exhibit, and across the front of the building. The groups organizing the climate strike in Waterloo Region are all nonprofits, as is The Museum. None of the organizers will be profiting in any way from the photos or videos; they will be used for artistic and publicity purposes, and to continue to raise awareness about the climate crisis. **Teachers may want to think about getting parental permission for photos and videos.

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