A LIMERICK climate activist has been nominated for a national Red Cross award this evening (Thursday).
Saoirse Exton, who is currently finishing her final year in secondary school, is a finalist in the Irish Red Cross Young Humanitarian Award after founding the Limerick branch of Fridays for Future Limerick at 13-years-old.
Saoirse began climate striking in March 2019, at the age of 13 when she saw the mass-protests that took place in late 2018 in Australia and she realised for the first time that young people have the potential to be heard, in spite of everything we are told about our incompetence from a young age.
One Friday morning, she decided to sit in front of council buildings with a placard, calling for climate action. About three weeks later, the global climate strike on March 15th gathered 400 people in Limerick, and millions across the world.
In September 2019, 1,000 people marched through the streets of Limerick, calling for climate justice. That year, she drafted a motion to declare a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in Limerick City, and it was passed unanimously, later being passed at the city and county council meeting.
Through her role as Public Relations Officer with Limerick Comhairle na nÓg, she was selected to be a member of the Youth Advisory Group to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), speaking to officials at the top of the organisation on the exclusion of young people from government agencies and the importance of recognising the disproportionate impact on Most Affected Peoples and Areas of the climate crisis at the hands of wealthy polluters such as Ireland.
Deirdre Garvey, Secretary General for the Irish Red Cross said: “The aim of the Irish Red Cross Awards is to highlight the incredible and selfless efforts of people throughout Ireland who have gone out of their way to help those in urgent need – regardless of whether they are fleeing war or are struggling to cope within their own local community.
“We feel strongly that in this age of increasing conflict and devastation be it natural or man-made, we all need to focus squarely on the crucial need for unity, humanity, impartial support and volunteer service in aid of others. There simply is no other way forward,” she said.
The prestigious annual Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards will honour nominated finalists across five categories in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards recognise those who have had a positive impact on the lives of others by improving lives and reducing suffering. The aim of the Award is to highlight the efforts of those who have given a voice to these humanitarian issues.
