Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg is TIME’s 2019 Person of the Year, the magazine announced on Wednesday.
The 16-year-old, who has become the public face of climate change activism since leading school strikes in her home country of Sweden, topped President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to win the accolade. “I’d like to tell my grandchildren that we did everything we could,” she told TIME magazine. “And we did it for them and for the generations to come.”
JD Vance Hammers Ilhan Omar for ‘Genocidal Language’ After Her ‘White Men’ Diatribe Resurfaces
Senator introduces legislation to rein in widely used, controversial abortion pill
Yacht Overloaded with ‘Influencers’ Sinks Near Miami Beach
Carney says Canada is not for sale, Trump replies, ‘Never say never’
Friedrich Merz wins on second ballot to become German chancellor after historic first round defeat
Pete Hegseth Announces ‘Historic’ Move to Restructure Military with ‘Less Generals’ Order
Robin Kelly jumps into Illinois Senate race for Durbin’s seat
Biden’s Orders on Migrant Kids Were So Evil Even His Own People Resigned
6 US governors to open talks with Canadian provincial leaders on tariffs
Blue state Republican calls on county sheriffs to defy sanctuary law, Dem governor rumored for 2028 run
Arizona pastor found dead with hands pinned to wall in homicide at home
Anti-Israel protesters occupy University of Washington building, 30 arrested
Frauds: While Dems Faked Fury at Trump Pope Pic, They Passed Wildly Anti-Catholic Law
Kamala Harris takes next step in return to political stage
Georgia Republicans brace for bruising Senate primary with ‘Plan B’ hopefuls
.@GretaThunberg is TIME's 2019 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/YZ7U6Up76v pic.twitter.com/SWALBfeGl6
— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2019
TIME’s editor-in-chief, Edward Felsenthal, unveiled this year’s winner on NBC’s Today Show, describing Thunberg as the “biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet.”
“She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year.” TIME Editor-in-Chief @efelsenthal talks about why TIME chose @GretaThunberg to be Person of the Year.
Thunberg, 16, is also the youngest person to ever receive the honor. pic.twitter.com/eTvLAiRtFW
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2019
JD Vance Hammers Ilhan Omar for ‘Genocidal Language’ After Her ‘White Men’ Diatribe Resurfaces
Senator introduces legislation to rein in widely used, controversial abortion pill
Yacht Overloaded with ‘Influencers’ Sinks Near Miami Beach
Carney says Canada is not for sale, Trump replies, ‘Never say never’
Friedrich Merz wins on second ballot to become German chancellor after historic first round defeat
Pete Hegseth Announces ‘Historic’ Move to Restructure Military with ‘Less Generals’ Order
Robin Kelly jumps into Illinois Senate race for Durbin’s seat
Biden’s Orders on Migrant Kids Were So Evil Even His Own People Resigned
6 US governors to open talks with Canadian provincial leaders on tariffs
Blue state Republican calls on county sheriffs to defy sanctuary law, Dem governor rumored for 2028 run
Arizona pastor found dead with hands pinned to wall in homicide at home
Anti-Israel protesters occupy University of Washington building, 30 arrested
Frauds: While Dems Faked Fury at Trump Pope Pic, They Passed Wildly Anti-Catholic Law
Kamala Harris takes next step in return to political stage
Georgia Republicans brace for bruising Senate primary with ‘Plan B’ hopefuls
“She also represents a broader generational shift in the culture that we’re seeing from the campuses of Hong Kong to the protests in Chile to Parkland, Florida, where the students marched against gun violence where young people are demanding change urgently,” said Felsenthal.
Thunberg garnered headlines earlier this year for sailing — rather than flying — from England to New York City to attended the United Nations climate summit. During the conference, Thunberg raised eyebrows for a pointed speech in which she angerly accused world leaders of robbing her and other young people of their future due to their inaction on so-called global warming.
“This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here,” she said in her remarks. “I should be back in school, on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!”
Thunberg and a dozen other activists also lodged a complaint with the U.N. that accused France and four other countries of failing to adequately address the issue, a move that drew scorn from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Speaking at the time with Europe 1, Macron branded the complaint as “very radical” and warned it would likely “antagonize societies.”
“All the movements of our youth — or our not-so-young — are helpful,” explained the globalist leader. “But they must now focus on those who are furthest away, those who are seeking to block the way.”
Thunberg is the youngest person ever to be named the magazine’s “Person of the Year.”
TIME selected “The Guardians and the War on Truth” — a group of imprisoned and killed journalists — as its “Person of the Year” in 2018.
Story cited here.
