This was last Sunday, 21st Sept 2014.. Before the World Climate Change March started in London...
It was my 1st London protest or should I say first ever protest, for that matter. It was for the environment, that's what I had heard. Studying Media Campaigning and Social change, this was the start of my learning and I had the most amazing feeling about what I was doing from the first day itself. It is so different and involves so much learning that it is a new and wonderful experience for me! Witnessing the protest and learning from it; its implications on social change; helped enlighten me. As it was going to be a huge protest, Media and Campaigning played a major role. Many NGO’s were present that day, a few being WWF, 38 degrees, CAFOD, AVAAZ as well as many more!
Had partied last night with random hostel guys whom I got to know just 10 minutes before leaving the hostel with them. So of course I slept late at around 4 am and was up at 7 am without an alarm (commendable, if I say so myself! J) I don’t know how it happened, must have been the excitement. I had to reach at 12. The farthest place in London wouldn't take more than an hour and also getting ready and breakfast would take another 1 hour. Since I am a punctual person I added another half an hour to the schedule. So I had 2 and a half which was more than enough to reach the venue. But there I was up at 7 and at the venue at 10. I would have reached earlier, but got late because the tube line not working and I had to walk for 35-40 minutes. If that had not happened, I would have been here at 9-30.
It was my 1st London protest or should I say first ever protest, for that matter. It was for the environment, that's what I had heard. Studying Media Campaigning and Social change, this was the start of my learning and I had the most amazing feeling about what I was doing from the first day itself. It is so different and involves so much learning that it is a new and wonderful experience for me! Witnessing the protest and learning from it; its implications on social change; helped enlighten me. As it was going to be a huge protest, Media and Campaigning played a major role. Many NGO’s were present that day, a few being WWF, 38 degrees, CAFOD, AVAAZ as well as many more!
Since I was early, I began looking around noticing and analyzing things. Various groups were gathering their volunteers and participants and giving them instructions. Some of them were joking, clicking pictures and having fun. There were some tourists and other people who were completely foxed about what was happening. They had expected it to be a normal Sunday on the embankment of the Temple tube station.
The numbers began increasing.. On with the fun and enthusiasm, but it is still very well managed, with the occasional police walking around. The banners and T-Shirts had things like 'Green Party' 'Say no to Fracking' 'Buy a socialist worker here' 'Against government cuts' 'Against Austerity' 'Green jobs won't cost the Earth' 'Be Realistic Demand the impossible' 'Open your eyes' 'London 100% clean energy' 'People's Climate march' and other things written on them. People with masks, costumes were distributing leaflets and holding billboards, banners and balloons with messages .I was walking around experiencing the enthusiasm, the music, the vibrant atmosphere and of course trying to find the people whom I was supposed to meet here. I knew that it was going to be an eventful and an amazing learning experience. Cheers to that!
The numbers began increasing.. On with the fun and enthusiasm, but it is still very well managed, with the occasional police walking around. The banners and T-Shirts had things like 'Green Party' 'Say no to Fracking' 'Buy a socialist worker here' 'Against government cuts' 'Against Austerity' 'Green jobs won't cost the Earth' 'Be Realistic Demand the impossible' 'Open your eyes' 'London 100% clean energy' 'People's Climate march' and other things written on them. People with masks, costumes were distributing leaflets and holding billboards, banners and balloons with messages .I was walking around experiencing the enthusiasm, the music, the vibrant atmosphere and of course trying to find the people whom I was supposed to meet here. I knew that it was going to be an eventful and an amazing learning experience. Cheers to that!
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