Greta Thunberg: “It’s Up to All of Us, Not Just Armenians, to Demand Justice”

On Friday, renowned Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg participated in a protest outside the United Nations (UN) office in Yerevan, Armenia, to amplify calls for justice and accountability. The demonstration highlighted concerns over Azerbaijan's human rights abuses, particularly against Armenians from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).  

Thunberg, known for her powerful voice on climate justice, used the platform to stress that the responsibility to raise awareness about these issues does not rest solely on Armenian activists.  

When asked by The Armenian Report’s Ani Khachatryan what Armenian activists can do to make their voices heard, Thunberg responded:  

 “It is not in any way up to them and their responsibility to raise awareness about this. It’s up to each and every one of us to raise awareness and to demand justice—not the least people who have a platform, for example, climate justice activists and human rights activists all over the world who are now silent on this.”  

Thunberg’s participation in the demonstration coincided with the ongoing COP29 climate conference, which she refused to attend due to its location in Azerbaijan. Instead, she chose to join activists in Armenia, where demonstrators delivered a letter to the UN office in Yerevan.  

In the letter, protesters urged UN Secretary-General António Guterres to investigate the situation in Artsakh, asking why Armenians no longer reside in the region. They also called on Guterres to visit Armenians being held illegally in Baku, Azerbaijan.  

Thunberg’s involvement shows the intersection of climate justice and human rights. Speaking at the protest, she highlighted the importance of global solidarity in addressing injustices like those against Azerbaijan. She criticized the silence of international activists and leaders who have platforms to demand change but have not spoken out on these issues.  

“So it is not in any way up to only Armenian activists to raise awareness about it.”

The protest also reflected growing frustration with Azerbaijan’s role as host of COP29. Activists argue that allowing the country to host such a prestigious event distracts from its alleged record of human rights violations, including ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of Armenians.  

Thunberg’s message resonated with protesters in Yerevan, who are calling for greater international attention to their plight. By connecting the fight for climate justice with the need to address human rights abuses, Thunberg reminded the world that justice for vulnerable communities is a shared responsibility.  

As COP29 continues in Baku, Thunberg’s actions in Yerevan have drawn global attention to the voices of Armenians demanding justice, accountability, and action from the international community.