Climate activist Greta Thunberg on Monday announced that she would donate her 1 million euros ($1.15 million) prize to groups working to protect the environment and halt climate change. The 17-year-old received the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity.
Thunberg was selected from 136 nominees in 46 countries for the award, which was launched by the a Portuguese philanthropic organisation. Jorge Sampaio, chair of the prize jury and former president of Portugal, said the Swedish activist won it for her ability to mobilise younger generations to tackle climate change, AFP reported.
“That is more money than I can begin to imagine, but all the prize money will be donated, through my foundation, to different organisations and projects who are working to help people on the front line, affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis,” Thunberg said in a video. She added that she was “extremely honoured” to receive the annual Gulbenkian prize.
One of the first two donations will be made to SOS Amazonia, a crowdfunding campaign launched in June to buy medical supplies and to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.
The second will back the Stop Ecocide Foundation “to support their work to make ecocide an international crime”, Thunberg tweeted.
Last year, she had inspired four million people to join the global climate strike – the largest climate demonstration in human history. Thunberg has also addressed United Nations summits and politicians – from Europe to North America – urging them to listen to climate scientists and take action against global heating.
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