Marsden Students join Protest at Parliament

Over 200 Marsden students, from Year 8 to Year 13, were part of the Climate Change protest at Parliament on Friday. They walked, as a group, from Karori down to Parliament to join Bishop Justin Duckworth and other representatives of the Anglican diocese on the parliamentary lawn.

Bishop Duckworth noted that previous climate strikes in March and May have been overwhelmingly positive events, drawing thousands of people and attracting support from hundreds of New Zealand academics, scientists and educators. The purpose of this latest protest is to highlight the urgency of climate change and show decision-makers the extent of public support for bold action. 

‘Globally we are seeing young people stand up and ensure their voices are heard on a subject crucial to their generation and to their futures’, says Principal Narelle Umbers. ‘We are proud that our girls want to be part of this global action’.

Marsden students on the Parliamentary Lawn

Marsden is a member of Enviroschools, an environmental action based programme where young people are empowered to design and lead sustainability projects in their schools, neighbourhoods and country. Through this, through their classes and through their own social action, students are learning that climate change is a very real threat to all of our futures. 

‘Our students want to do more than just sit by – they want to take action’ says Ms Umbers. Students at the school were very keen to be involved and ‘through our relationship with the Anglican Church, we are strengthened and supported in our commitment to confronting the problems of climate change’, she says.

An estimated 170,000 protesters took to the streets around New Zealand on Friday with Marsden students joining 40,000 people marching from Civic Square to the steps of Parliament. This makes it one of the biggest strikes in New Zealand history.