Severn Cullis-Suzuki was born November 30, 1979, in Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada.
She is an environmental activist, speaker, television host and author of children´s books.
She gives conferences around the world about environmental issues, telling listeners to act with
the future in mind, and take individual responsibility.
She was only 12 years old when she spoke before the UN Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil,
in 1992. A child speaking before adults representing all the countries in the world.
Her speech wasn´t childish. It was an appeal to everyone to help stop the destruction of the earth’s
resources.
She spoke of deforestation, chemicals in the air, the waste and greed in our society,
and the wanton destruction of animal and plant species that can never be brought back to life again.
Her is a short excerpt of her speech :
“Hello, I’m Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O. – The Environmental Children’s Organization.
We are a group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds from Canada trying to make a difference:
Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and me. We raised all the money ourselves to come
six thousand miles to tell you adults you must change your ways. Coming here today, I have
no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future.
Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here
to speak for all generations to come.”
Nowadays, Severn continues her fight for the environment. 27 years after her famous speech,
people still think that her words are an inspiration for the next generation.
True of False : Read the sentences about the text and say if they are True of false. Correct the
false sentences.
a.) Severn is an American environmental activist : ______
b.) She went to the Earth Summit with some friends : _____
c.) The Government pays for Severn´s plane ticket to Brazil : ____
d.) Severn was 14 years old, when she gave her speech : ____
e.) Nowadays she is still worried about the environment. : ____
f.) Severn was worried about future generations : _____
She is an environmental activist, speaker, television host and author of children´s books.
She gives conferences around the world about environmental issues, telling listeners to act with
the future in mind, and take individual responsibility.
She was only 12 years old when she spoke before the UN Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil,
in 1992. A child speaking before adults representing all the countries in the world.
Her speech wasn´t childish. It was an appeal to everyone to help stop the destruction of the earth’s
resources.
She spoke of deforestation, chemicals in the air, the waste and greed in our society,
and the wanton destruction of animal and plant species that can never be brought back to life again.
Her is a short excerpt of her speech :
“Hello, I’m Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O. – The Environmental Children’s Organization.
We are a group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds from Canada trying to make a difference:
Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and me. We raised all the money ourselves to come
six thousand miles to tell you adults you must change your ways. Coming here today, I have
no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future.
Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here
to speak for all generations to come.”
Nowadays, Severn continues her fight for the environment. 27 years after her famous speech,
people still think that her words are an inspiration for the next generation.
True of False : Read the sentences about the text and say if they are True of false. Correct the
false sentences.
a.) Severn is an American environmental activist : ______
b.) She went to the Earth Summit with some friends : _____
c.) The Government pays for Severn´s plane ticket to Brazil : ____
d.) Severn was 14 years old, when she gave her speech : ____
e.) Nowadays she is still worried about the environment. : ____
f.) Severn was worried about future generations : _____
