Students around the world left the classroom and took to the streets Friday for the “Youth Climate Strike,” calling for decisive action on climate change. The international day of action was inspired by 16-year Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who started a weekly Friday strike outside the Swedish parliament building last year. This is Thunberg speaking at the Stockholm demonstration.

Greta Thunberg: “And we, the young people, have not contributed to this crisis. … We are not going to accept it. We are not going to let it happen. And that is why we are striking. We strike because we want a future, and we will continue.”

Greta Thunberg has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Here in New York City, Democracy Now! spoke to students rallying outside City Hall Friday.

Tasnim Emu: “My name is Tasnim Emu, and I’m from Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women. … They say that education isn’t worth sacrificing to make a political point. But I think they’re wrong, because we’re all here going to school, and we think that we have this big future for us, but our education will be ignored if we’re too busy trying to survive instead of living.”

Later in the broadcast, we’ll speak with a high school student from the Bronx High School of Science.