Greta Thunberg to be awarded the Freedom of Dublin City

Her team replied late last night to accept the honour.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been nominated to receive the Freedom of Dublin City this year. The 20-year-old Swede was nominated alongside Irish environmentalist Duncan Stewart in recognition of their efforts to protect the Earth. In a statement, Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy said she had asked Thunberg’s team some time ago if she would agree to accept the honour and received a reply late on Wednesday night to say she would be happy to do so. “Greta has been a significant presence on the international stage," said the Lord Mayor. "Particularly in rallying young people to the climate challenge." Known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action on climate change, Thunberg rose to prominence in 2018, when she started her "School strike for climate" protest outside Swedish parliament. [caption id="attachment_775352" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Greta Thunberg speaking at a large-scale climate strike march in Berlin in 2021. (Getty Images)[/caption] She went on to become an international symbol for a generation of concerned young people asking for change to protect the future of mankind. “I am a huge admirer of both Duncan and Greta. They are absolutely passionate about raising awareness of this huge issue,” the Lord Mayor said. “Our city has never before used this award to celebrate the role of environmental activists. We must recognise the incredible work done across generations to protect our shared city and planet.” Stewart is known predominantly for his work as the presenter of RTÉ's Eco Eye, which aired its final episode in February. The environmentalist has campaigned for climate change action for decades and remains a strong voice on the topic. Talking about the 75-year-old the Lord Mayor stated: “I said already that I couldn’t think of any other Irish person who had done more over such a long period of time to spread the word about environmental issues than Duncan.” The two campaigners will be sent forward for approval at the next monthly meeting of Dublin City Council on 12 June as a formality.

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