Adélaïde Charlier

Adélaïde Charlier
Born (2000-12-09) 9 December 2000 (age 24)
Namur, Belgium
NationalityBelgian
EducationUnited Nations International School of Hanoi (2012–2016)

Collège Notre-Dame de la Paix (2016–2019)

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (from September 2020)
OccupationClimate activist
Known forYouth for Climate

Adelaide Charlier (born 9 December 2000) is a Belgian activist[1] fighting for climate and social justice.[2] She co-founded the Youth for Climate movement in Belgium.[3] She is mainly known for her involvement in the fight against climate change. Inspired by the actions of Greta Thunberg, she is one of the leading figures, alongside Kyra Gantois and Anuna De Wever, of the first school strikes for climate in Belgium.[4]

Biography

Charlier was born on 9 December 2000, in Namur.

In 2018, she co-founded the Youth for Climate movement in Belgium with the aim of raising awareness and encouraging young people to act against climate change. Since then, she has organized several climate marches and protests and has been present in the media to talk about global warming and social justice.[5]

Between 2018 and 2019, she became the French-speaking Belgian representative for Amnesty International.[6]

Since 2020, she has been a student in Political & Social Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and at Ghent University (UGent).[7]

Adélaïde is also passionate about sports: she was part of the swimming team at the United Nations International School of Hanoi[8] and regularly practices triathlon.[9]

Activism

Ecological awareness

Charlier became aware of the climate cause in her early teens,[10] while living with her family in Vietnam.[11] From 2012 to 2016, she attended the United Nations International School of Hanoi, a United Nations school where the climate issue was particularly discussed.[12]

Student strike for the climate

As the Youth for Climate "climate strikes" began in Flanders under the initiative of activists Anuna De Wever and Kyra Gantois, Charlier was asked to extend the mobilization to Wallonia.[11] She quickly became one of the spokespersons[11][13] and figures[14] of the movement. At the time, she was still a student at Collège Notre-Dame de la Paix (Namur).[15]

COP25 - Atlantic Crossing

In October 2019, Charlier crossed the Atlantic Ocean by sailboat to attend the COP25 in Santiago, Chile, accompanied by other activists such as Anuna De Wever.[16] During their journey, they learned that Chilean President Sebastian Piñera had decided to cancel the COP25,[17] following a severe social crisis in the country.[18]

Documentaries

La Meuf du climat ("The Climate Girl")

In 2021, the RTBF produced "La Meuf du climat", a 52-minute documentary dedicated to Charlier. Directed by Quentin Ceuppens, the documentary portrays the young woman from Namur by interviewing her close friends, family, scientists, and Greta Thunberg, who has become one of her best friends.[19]

Sœurs de combat

Charlier appears in the documentary "Sœurs de combat", a film about youth engagement in favour of the climate, directed by Henri De Gerlache. The film was broadcast by the RTBF.[20]

I Am Greta

In 2020, Charlier appeared in the documentary by Nathan Grossman, I am Greta.[21]

Awards and honors

In September 2019, Charlier was awarded the Medal of Walloon Merit by the Walloon government, on the occasion of the Fêtes de Wallonie. She is decorated by Willy Borsus, Vice-President of Wallonia.[22]

In January 2020, she received the "Namuroise of the Year" award in the "Commitment to the Planet" category, for her leadership in climate marches.[23][24]

In February 2022, the Lobby Awards 2021 granted her the title of "Female Leadership of the Year".[25]

Publications

Charlier is a co-author of the book "Quel monde pour demain, dialogue entre générations" (2020) with Esmeralda of Belgium, Anuna De Wever, and Sandrine Dixson-Declève.[26] The book addresses climate issues in the form of a dialogue and proposes solutions for a more sustainable future.[27]

Notes and references

  1. ^ Dominique, Astrid de Rengervé and Carla (25 June 2022). "Adelaide Charlier: "Let's commit, because if we don't try, we won't succeed!"". WE DEMAIN. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ "COP26: "We need to address the issue of social justice," explains Adelaide Charlier activist". TV5MONDE. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Adelaide Charlier, the Belgian Greta Thunberg, lands a job on a radio station". RTL Info. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Large format - Greta Thunberg, Anuna De Wever, Adelaide Charlier and others: why so much hatred?". Le Soir. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ "From the start of the new school year, Adélaïde Charlier will have her own daily climate chronicle on NRJ". Soirmag. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. ^ "ADÉLAÏDE CHARLIER: The spokesperson for a youth that is taking action for the climate". www.guido.be. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Adélaïde Charlier: 'We can no longer afford to transition slowly'". RTBF. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Together We Can Change the World's Climate". www.unishanoi.org. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  9. ^ GAEL.BE; GAEL.BE (3 February 2022). "Adélaïde Charlier opens up her personal photo album". Gael.be. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  10. ^ Read online: L'Appel, No. 416, April 2019, page 7
  11. ^ a b c "Adélaïde Charlier, the Walloon face of the climate-conscious youth". L'Avenir. 28 February 2019.
  12. ^ L'Appel, No. 416, April 2019, page 7.
  13. ^ BELGA (20 August 2020). "Belgians Adélaïde Charlier and Anuna De Wever received by Angela Merkel with Greta Thunberg". LaLibre.be. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  14. ^ Lacroux, Margaux. "Qui sont les jeunes organisatrices des grèves pour le climat dans le monde ?". Libération (in French). Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ Belga. "Wake up for Climate: Adélaïde Charlier left her mark at her former school in Namur". DHnet. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Adélaïde Charlier takes a boat to South America: 'It's a bit of a transition to the new world'". RTBF. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  17. ^ "As Adélaïde Charlier crosses the Atlantic by sailboat for a month... Chile cancels COP25". RTL Info. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Chile gives up organizing COP25 as Adélaïde Charlier and Anuna De Wever cross the Atlantic by sailboat". Le Soir. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  19. ^ "TV and radio program: find the full program schedule of Tipik". RTBF. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Meeting with Adelaïde Charlier for the documentary 'Sisters in Arms', signed Henri De Gerlache". RTBF. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  21. ^ Venice, Hubert Heyrendt-Special Envoy to. "Embarking with Greta". La Libre.be. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Michel Lecomte, Adélaïde Charlier, Benoit Poelvoorde... The recipients of the Walloon Merit are known". RTBF. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  23. ^ Veronesi, Magali. "The Namurois of the year are..." DHnet. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Adélaïde Charlier rewarded for her actions in favor of the climate!". RTBF. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Lobby Awards 2021: a colorful list of winners!". L'Éventail. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Princess Esmeralda and Adélaïde Charlier discuss their book: "What World for Tomorrow?"". RTL Info. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  27. ^ "With Esmeralda of Belgium, the survival manual of four climate activists". parismatch.com. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adélaïde Charlier.