NEW YORK, USA - Over three hundred thousand activists walked through Manhattan on Sunday, warning that climate change is destroying the Earth - in stride with demonstrators around the world who urged policymakers to take quick action.
Starting
along Central Park West, most came on foot, others with bicycles and
walkers, and some even in wheelchairs. Many wore costumes and marched to
drumbeats. One woman played the accordion.
But their message was
not entertaining: "We're going to lose our planet in the next
generation if things continue this way," said Bert Garskof, 81, as a
family member pushed his wheelchair through Times Square.
The
crowds of marchers, which included actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark
Ruffalo and Evangeline Lilly, wound through midtown Manhattan, joined
along the way by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former
Vice President Al Gore and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In New York organizers said there were around 310,000 marchers,
making it possibly the biggest single demonstration on climate change to
date.
The march was one of a series of events large and small
held around the world - organizers said 40,000 marchers took part in an
event in London, while a small gathering in Cairo featured 50-foot art
piece representing wind and solar energy -- two days before the United
Nations Climate Summit.
More than 120 world leaders will convene Tuesday
for the meeting aimed at galvanizing
political will for a new global
climate treaty by
the end of 2015.
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