Arend Veenstra, a 20-year-old student from Leeuwarden, was inspired by recent actions by Belgian students and is a co-founder of “Students for Climate”, an action group which will organise strikes for a better Dutch climate policy.
Translation by Traci White
The Friesch Dagblad reports that Veenstra co-founded the group in Amsterdam, where he is currently studying, with several other students. Starting this Thursday, Dutch students will start going on strike for a better climate policy. Veenstra has been an engaged activist in Amsterdam since October when he participated in protests against cut backs at the University of Amsterdam. His experiences last year brought him into contact with several kindred spirits who also wanted to take action against climate change.
“Attending university is supposed to be an investment in our future, but if there won’t be a future because of climate change, then what’s the point?”, he says in an interview with Geert Veldstra.
The group “Students for Climate” currently has 15 members, but they are hoping that other students from across the Netherlands will get involved. Their first strike will be this coming Thursday in The Hague, which will coincide with another protest group for secondary school students, “Youth for Climate”. The group was inspired by recent protests organised by students in Belgium and is hoping for a turn-out of around 3,000 people – and “Students for Climate” will be there right along with them.
