History is a funny thing. It happens around us all the time. One moment slipping into the past becomes our history. Events that pass become the shared story of how we got to where we are now.

Most often, history is made silently or at least with little notice. At times, however, we understand that the moment we are in will be historical. Meaning, it will be looked at later by other people and remarked on as significant.

I believe that the Global Climate Strike on Friday, September 27th was one of those moments. As IPS students and staff marched with tens of thousands of other people down Cambie Street in Vancouver, we raised our signs, and our voices, to demand change from our leaders. The feeling of the protest was incredible. The 100 thousand or so people, became a community with a clear voice and purpose. All over the world people rose, demanding action on the biggest threat to the survival of our world as we know it.

As a teacher, I was extremely proud of our students for their participation and engagement throughout the day. Seeing their passion and power displayed in public was inspiring. As an individual, I was humbled.

I strongly believe in the importance of this issue, and will use my vote and my voice to pressure our political leaders to make significant change in environmental policy. Yet recently, I have done relatively little to alter my own behaviour in a significant way to do my part.

While we are all inspired now with the momentum of the Climate Strike behind us, it is imperative that we stay engaged. We must make significant and measurable change in our community and on our own. I am excited by the progressive ideas being championed by our student body and look forward to helping them realize these ideas.

I feel that the Climate Strike was momentous and I dearly hope that it will be remembered as a turning point in how we interact with our environment. As a great man once said, we have to “be the change we want to see.”

Adrian van Lidth de Jeude

IPS Teacher — Arts Years 1-4, Individuals and Societies Years 3 & 4