A Fort William teenager has taken her message about action against climate change to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Holly Gillibrand, 14, took to the stage with veteran activist Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The pair were brought together by WWF Scotland and players of People’s Postcode Lottery to discuss the biggest global challenges facing people and nature today and how young people can influence change.
Holly said: “It was such an honour to meet and have a conversation with Mary Robinson who is a passionate advocate for climate justice. We talked about our experiences, the importance of intergenerational conversations and the destruction that our planet is facing. I hope that many young people will be inspired by leaders such as Mary to take action for causes that they feel passionate about.”
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, added: “This was a truly inspiring event, made even more special by the number of young people attending. This really demonstrates to me that the younger generation really gets the urgency of the joint climate and nature emergencies facing us all. We should be proud that Holly and others are stepping up and I hope our political leaders are listening.”
Laura Chow, head of charities of People’s Postcode Lottery, was chairwoman of the event.
She said: “It was an honour to chair this discussion between two inspiring leaders from different generations, coming together to share their passion and dedication to fight for our world. Local, national and international action to tackle the climate emergency are among the many great causes supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and we hope many people are inspired by Holly to make changes in their own lives.”
