In this episode we talk to ‘the girl who silenced the world for five minutes’, Severn Cullis-Suzuki. 

 

At just twelve years old Severn stunned the 1992 UN Earth Summit with a passionate speech about the growing environmental crisis. 

 

Known as ‘yesterday’s Greta Thunberg’, Severn didn’t pull any punches in her criticism of the world leaders present.

 

Now that more than thirty years have passed we ask Severn how her life has been shaped by those five minutes.

 

We discuss how our childhood choices can influence our whole lives (hey Harry Potter!), how ‘warrior’ Greta is picking up the eco baton despite the trolls, and how Severn almost gave birth in front of a film crew, all thanks to her dad!

 

You can find out more about Severn’s advocacy work and activism here. 

 

Clips of Severn’s speech were taken from the ‘We Canada’ YouTube page with thanks. Watch the whole thing here 

 

Severn’s ‘3am Questions’:

Favourite song - The Haida Gwaii 'Greeting the Day Song’. Learn more about Haida Gwaii culture and music here.

Favourite film - Dances with Wolves

 

We want to hear from you. If you have a brilliant 'Did You Know?' fact, a question for us, a jingle you’ve written or a voice note you want to share, get in touch. We’ll choose a few messages and include them in the audio version of every podcast. You can tweet us your message using the hashtag #normalnotnormal or email us at [email protected] 

 

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Follow us on Twitter:

@OliverPhelps     

@James_Phelps

@SevernSuzuki

 

Normal Not Normal is a Stabl production.

Produced by Alice Homewood.

YouTube version edited by Oliver and James Phelps.

Music: 'Not Normal' by Sebastian Forslund, 'At Last' by Martin Landh and 'Bobby Swing' by The Bladwerk Band 

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