Greta Thunberg, a 17-year-old climate and environmental activist, has recently received the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity is a prize that “aims to recognize people, groups of people and/or organizations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation and impact.” (Gulbenkian Website)
Thunberg has recently stated on her social media pages she will be donating her entire €1,000,000 (≈ 1.14 Million United States Dollars) prize to various organizations fighting for a more environmentally friendly world. Thunberg “is honored and extremely grateful to have been awarded the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity” and hopes this prize money can help her “do good in the world.”
I’m extremely honoured to receive the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. We’re in a climate emergency, and my foundation will as quickly as possible donate all the prize money of 1 million Euros to support organizations and projects that are fighting for a sustainable world, defending nature and supporting people already facing the worst impacts of the climate- and ecological crisis – particularly those living in the Global South. Starting with giving €100.000 to the SOS Amazonia Campaign led by Fridays For Future Brazil to tackle Covid-19 in the Amazon, and €100.000 to the Stop Ecocide Foundation to support their work to make ecocide an international crime. – Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg is the epitome of incredible and altruistic. Over the 9 years since she heard about the Climate Change crisis, she has been able to donate a majority or all of her prize money, to a cause worth fighting for. Climate change and ecocide are serious environmental issues, but people don’t take it seriously enough. With people like Greta Thunberg, we are able to realize how serious climate change and ecocide are.