Blowing Water | Time for world’s leaders to pay attention, Greta Thunberg award is a reminder they work for us
- Teenage climate activist started a global movement, earning her the illustrious Person of the Year title from Time magazine
- Hong Kong protesters won poll among readers, taking 30 per cent of 27 million votes cast
Governments around the world need a slap in the face every now and then, as a stern reminder they are failing to serve their citizens.
The naming of climate change activist Greta Thunberg as the 2019 Person of the Year has done exactly that to governments around the world.
The annual award by Time magazine is given to a person or people who have shown the most influence over the course of the year. The awardee can also be an object, concept, or movement that has dominated the news, affected lives, or signified what has been important to societies in that year.
Before the result was announced last week, many expected the Hong Kong protesters to be the winners, and indeed they were.
The protesters were the choice of readers by a significant margin; they won 30 per cent of the votes cast by the 27 million readers who took part this year. But Times editors overrode the readers’ choice and instead gave the title to 16-year-old Thunberg, making her the youngest individual ever to win the award.
