Patti Smith joins Greta Thunberg on her final school strike

09 June 2023, 16:52 | Written by Tyler Damara Kelly

(News)

(Patti Smith)

The Swedish climate activist inspired a worldwide youth climate strike movement with her one-person school protest which started in 2018.

In a social media post, Thunberg acknowledged the milestone: "School strike week 251. Today, I graduate from school, which means I'll no longer be able to school strike for the climate. This is then the last school strike for me, so I guess I have to write something on this day."

School strike week 251. Today, I graduate from school, which means I’ll no longer be able to school strike for the climate. This is then the last school strike for me, so I guess I have to write something on this day.
Thread🧵 pic.twitter.com/KX8hHFDyNG
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) June 9, 2023

Thunberg also wrote later in the thread that she will continue to protest for the climate on Fridays. "We who can speak up have a duty to do so. In order to change everything, we need everyone. I’ll continue to protest on Fridays, even though it’s not technically “school striking”. We simply have no other option than to do everything we possibly can. The fight has only just begun."

Patti Smith was spotted at the Fridays for Futures demonstration. She played a show in Stockholm yesterday evening, and visited Mynttorget in the Old Town earlier today. Speaking to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, Smith praised Thunberg, saying: "I had tears in my eyes when I met her. I'm a big fan."