COP26 march and rally in Brussels on Sunday calls for action on climate change

Citizen movement Rise for Climate Belgium is organising a march ‘Act for Climate and Water’ in Brussels city centre on Sunday afternoon, followed by a rally with performances by local musicians in Place Luxembourg.

The collective is calling for the following actions on climate and water: the ‘human right’ to access clean water, a tax on financial transactions to help create green jobs and solidarity with disaster victims.

Sunday’s demonstration and rally have been planned to coincide with the opening of COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference 2021 in Glasgow. Says Larry Moffett from Rise for Climate Belgium: “We’ve chosen to do it right next to the European parliament where we started three years ago with our very first rally because Brussels is the capital of Europe and the European institutions are here.”

He points out that action is needed not only in Belgium but also at an EU level. “We are sending a message to European leaders who will be negotiating at Glasgow and also offering a message of support to members of European parliament who will be sending a delegation,” adds Moffett.

The rally ‘Artists Rise for Climate’ will feature performances by 13 Belgian musicians, interspersed with speeches by climate activists. Organisers hope that the artists will attract a youth audience.

They are expecting a crowd of between three and five thousand people to attend the event. From Central station, demonstrators will walk to Place Luxembourg via Boulevard de l’Impératrice, Pacheco, Bischoffsheim, Rue du Régent, Rue du Trône and Rue Caroly.

Rise for Climate Belgium march, 13.00 (gathering from 12.00), Central Station
Artists Rise for Climate rally, 14.00-18.00, Place Luxembourg