Tens of thousands of young people across Asia skipped school Friday to march through the streets, kicking off a global day of student protests aiming to spark world leaders into action on climate change.
Classrooms in capitals from Lagos to London were expected to be empty, as the ambitious organisers of the global student strike hoped to stage 1,000 demos in more than 100 countries.
Students flooded into the streets in Wellington, Sydney, Bangkok and Hong Kong carrying placards that read "There is no planet B", "You're destroying our future" and "If you don't act like adults, we will."
In Australia, Education Minister Dan Tehan said the strike was "not something that we should encourage."
"Please keep bringing as many people as you can with you because we simply won't achieve our goals alone."
"In South Korea, exam results are very important and it's a big burden, and also the unemployment crisis is at its worst."
Wellington university student Josie Mason, 20, said she was "excited by the fact that youth are being heard and are making a stand right now."