Climate activist Greta Thunberg will take part in a special event at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The 20-year-old Swedish environmental campaigner will give a speech, followed by an in-depth conversation about her activism.
She will also discuss her book, The Climate Book, which saw her call on the wisdom of more than 100 experts, from Indigenous leaders and renowned scientists to activists and people from around the world who are most affected by climate change.
The event – It’s Not Too Late To Change The World – will take place at the Edinburgh Playhouse on Sunday 13 August and will be chaired by writer and broadcaster Gemma Cairney.
Writer and broadcaster Gemma Cairney will chair the event
It will be Ms Thunberg’s first public appearance in Scotland since her visit to Glasgow for COP26 in November 2021.
Ms Thunberg, who inspired a worldwide youth climate strike movement with her one-person school protest starting in 2018, was not invited to formally address the UN climate change conference but took part in a rally demanding action to tackle the crisis.
Nick Barley, director of the book festival, said: “Nobody speaks truth to power quite like Greta Thunberg: her words and actions have given hope to countless young activists.
“This is a rare opportunity to spend time in the presence of a young woman whose conviction and defiant energy is a source of inspiration to millions across the globe.”
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Greta Thunberg at a protest in Germany
It’s Not Too Late To Change The World will be part of a climate-focused strand of events at the book festival, which is presented in association with the Edinburgh International Festival.
Three hundred tickets to the event featuring Ms Thunberg will be made available to local community groups and young people, and a special half-price ticket will be offered to those aged under 26 to encourage them to become part of the climate conversation.
Edinburgh Festival director, musician Nicola Benedetti, said: “We are deeply grateful to Greta Thunberg for joining us as she is one of the most prominent environmental activists of our time and is uniquely positioned to address the underlying question of this year’s international festival programme, ‘Where do we go from here?’.
“Greta has helped to galvanise a global movement for climate action, and we are proud to feature her as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.”
Edinburgh International Book Festival will take place between 12-28 August. Tickets for Ms Thunberg’s event will go on sale online at 12pm on Wednesday 7 June.
