Tiziana is a 19-year-old environmental activist. Born in Argentina, she moved to Spain in October 2021 to further her studies, develop her language skills, and fulfill her objective of studying International Relations. Tiziana has continued her environmental activities in Spain, joining the Alicante group of the Fridays for Future climate movement. 



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Tiziana Martin

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 TIZIANA MARTIN
 is a 19-year-old environmental activist, who began in her hometown of Mar
 del Plata, Argentina, 3 years ago and moved to Spain to develop her
 language skills and study International Relations as part of her legal
 studies. Tiziana joined the Alicante group of the Fridays For Future
 climate movement, and maintains strong links with Argentina, highlighting
 climate and environmental issues, and speaking regularly with journalists.
 Here she speaks with
 RACHEL NELSON of
 the Heartfulness Institute.
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 Q: Hello Tiziana, it’s great to speak with you and thanks for
 joining me.
 Is there anything in particular that started your activism, and why is it
 important to you?



 TM: It happened
 over time. I didn’t wake up saying, “I want to be a climate activist.”
 Shortly before entering that world, I represented Argentina in the Model
 United Nations (MUN). We discussed the role of our country with respect to
 the Paris Agreement, which binds participating countries to reduce emissions
 of greenhouse gases and to limit global warming to well below 2 (preferably
 to 1.5) degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.



 In the MUN, we had to negotiate and deepen international cooperation and
 that understanding and knowledge of other countries increased my interest in
 the climate crisis. Moving to Europe last year reaffirmed how much I like
 international relations.



 The important thing is to be able to do more and more work, to have the
 freedom to express my ideas and opinions, to promote work on an
 international level, and to travel and get to know countries and people that
 contribute as much as Argentina did for me.



 My current goal is to study international relations related to environmental
 activism here in Spain.



 Q: Climate change is a global problem, but are there specific
 issues in
 Argentina or Spain you’re involved in or want to change?”



 TM: Yes, my
 home city’s government was recently in favor of letting companies carry out
 seismic exploration in search of oil and gas, but it is a coastal city, and
 its main economic activities are tourism and fishing, so they would be
 affected by oil spills.



 Although I disagree with the need to continue using fossil fuels, I also
 understand that we can’t transition to clean energy overnight, and we can’t
 be an environmental movement that is limited to opposing the productive
 projects of our country. I believe we have to devise projects that create
 the best possible environmental conditions, that rely on strong
 environmental impact studies, and promote development guidelines to enable
 us to generate the foreign exchange that our countries need.



 As citizens, we can’t be left out of decision making. It is why we try to
 have a political influence. This issue of the oil companies touches me very
 deeply, as it’s happening in my city. Knowing that thousands of people have
 demonstrated against this project gives me hope.



 The other day I was talking with my parents who attended the protest, and I
 understood that not only activists but average citizens are protesting,
 people who want a healthy future for their children, who don’t want to drink
 contaminated water, who want to enjoy the coast, and much more.


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 Q: I live in Scotland, and we have a similar situation. A lot
 of our
 money comes from tourism and fishing, but we also have oil in the North
 Sea. We are asking similar questions, and we’re lucky that Scotland is
 very windy, so wind power is very good here. We just had the COP 26 in
 Scotland, so there’s been a lot of thought about it recently, but maybe
 fewer demonstrations here.



 It’s interesting to look at other countries like Argentina
 and see what
 other people are doing. We are lucky in Scotland that we’re not going to
 be hit badly by climate change until later. But that doesn’t mean we can
 sit back and do nothing, because it’s other countries we need to think
 about.



 How do you think human rights and social justice relate to
 the climate
 crisis? Is there a link?



 TM: Yes. The
 climate crisis especially affects the sector that contributes the least to
 it. The social and environmental crisis is an intersectional problem,
 encompassing many other struggles. I have been in talks with people from
 Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile, and many of them are native
 peoples, the main protagonists in the fight for the defense of land. When we
 talk about intersectionality, we not only talk about them, but we also talk
 about the fact that the gender inequalities that existed before the climate
 crisis are going to be a central issue. This is how the climate crisis
 relates to rights.



 In Argentina, with the installation of offshore platforms, Article 41 of the
 National Constitution is being delayed. It establishes that all inhabitants
 have the right to enjoy a healthy environment. It also establishes access to
 health, to clean water, and to security, among other things. So, this is a
 matter of human rights and social justice.



 Q: Yes, these problems are all interlinked. It’s not just
 “we’ll deal
 with the climate crisis then we’ll deal with social injustice,” as they’re
 often coming from the same issues.
 



 Can you tell me about the groups you’re involved in? You
 mentioned
 Fridays For Future. Are there other groups? What do you do in those groups
 to try and help?



 TM: Three years
 ago, I joined Jóvenes por el Clima (Youth for Climate), which is affiliated
 with Fridays for Future, the movement led by Greta Thunberg, the Swedish
 activist. We grew together in Latin America with the perspective that the
 climate crisis is a matter of human rights and social justice. Now, in
 Spain, I am with Fridays For Future.



 Q: The groups you’re involved in are aimed at people your own
 age. How do
 you think young people can positively affect the environment and climate
 change? Do young people have something that older generations don’t, or do
 you think it’s just a kind of push because the older generations have let
 things go for too
 long?



 TM: I believe
 in the power of young people. We are the present, and we have to guarantee
 the future for future generations. There is a phrase we use a lot at Youth
 for Climate, “Si el presente es de lucha, el futuro es nuestro!”
 which means, “If the present is a struggle, the future is ours.”



 We know what is happening, and we have to do something about it. We need a
 systemic change. While there are many issues that can’t be changed
 overnight, if we have the intention to do things well, they will become
 reality.



 Sometimes we are afraid to talk about politics, but I feel that politics are
 fundamental to transforming the present into the future we want. We need an
 involved and politicized youth.



 Q: Definitely. You can’t get away from the fact that the
 power to enact
 change comes from people and from government. The people in charge have to
 be willing to change and move things forward. Some governments do more
 than others, but we need a global consensus. Are governments doing
 enough?



 TM: The
 government projects don’t match the objectives set in the international
 agreements, for example, at COP 26 in Glasgow. It’s necessary to influence
 the areas of greatest social transformation, for example, politics and in
 the streets. Demonstrating and environmental discussion must be open to
 everyone. It is very important that there is intersectionality influencing
 the people in power, as they are the decision-makers.



 For our part, one concrete action is to police politics in relation to the
 climate and ecological crisis; to change people’s minds and encourage them
 to participate in their country’s development.



 Protests are a main tool to express our claims and achieve the
 transformation for which we fight. A clear example of this happened recently
 in a province in Argentina, in response to a mining bill. Thanks to
 demonstrations in different parts of the country, the bill was repealed.


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 Q: COP 26 saw people getting together for change, but I know
 a lot of
 activists felt that while a lot was said, not a lot was decided, and not a
 lot changed. You’re right that sometimes we need more than a conference.
 We need people to get out there and make changes themselves. With your
 example, we can see that it worked.



 Do you have a message for young activists and people in
 general?



 TM: Something I
 always highlight is for people to really get involved, if not as activists,
 at least as citizens, as people. Many young people don’t realize the power
 we have; our voice, our ability to understand the need and be part of the
 projects and solutions.



 If you are thinking about getting involved in an environmental movement or
 organization, take heart, understand what is happening, and think of
 environmentally sound solutions that go hand in hand with development.
 Obtain new experiences and tools.



 For me, activism is a way of life. Once you’re committed, and advance in
 that process, there is no turning back. For every decision you make, you
 will find an intersectionality in what you think and do, and the impact your
 actions will have in the present and the future. I always liked
 international relations and politics, languages, and cultures, but five
 years ago I never imagined being in a social environmental movement, giving
 interviews on TV, etc. During the years of activism in Argentina, I made
 friends and colleagues, and involved myself in other struggles that have
 given me knowledge and values.



 Since I was young, I dreamed of being in Europe to continue my education. My
 activities here in Spain are wonderful, and I have met activists from all
 over the world. I learn so much from them. I have gained new tools,
 encountered new cultures, and practiced English, and I will take more values
 and knowledge with me.



 I am very passionate about what I do, and hope that everything I do from now
 on will improve things.



 Q: This has clearly become your life. It’s not just “Oh, I’ll
 do some
 activism today.” Everything you do lends itself toward that.



 With these interviews, we want to make sure that young people
 are being
 heard. Many of them are stepping out and putting themselves forward when
 it comes to climate. When people are doing so much work, we want to be
 able to hear their voices and amplify their voices.



 What do your family and friends think of you being an
 activist? Are they
 supportive?



 TM: My friends
 in Argentina are activists, and my family supports me and my friends, too.
 During the last demonstration in Argentina against the oil companies, my
 family attended the protest and sent me pictures and videos, because I miss
 them so much.



 Q: I can understand that. Do you have any plans for the near
 future?



 TM: My dream is
 to continue to grow in Europe and in Argentina too; to grow as an activist,
 to be able to study, to work toward environmental issues, and more and more
 rights for young people, for my country, for Spain. I also love meeting
 people from other parts of the world. I love learning about other cultures
 and other languages. They really teach me so much.



 Q: Europe’s quite good for that. There are so many countries
 in such a
 small area, so it’s easy to meet lots of different people.



 TM: Since I was
 eight years old, I dreamed of living in Europe. I told my parents I would
 travel to England for the Beatles, my favorite band, and for the history,
 too. It’s incredible to be here.



 Q: Do you have an idea of what career you want to
 pursue?



 TM: As a child,
 my dream was to work with the UN or in a United Europe. I want to be a
 better person with good values, to work for climate change, for human rights
 and social justice in Argentina, Latin America, Spain, and the rest of the
 world, with my friends who are activists. That is my dream. I work for that
 and study for that. It’s my dream to continue growing as an activist and a
 person.



 Q: Thanks, Tiziana. Maybe we should interview you again in
 five years to
 see how far you’ve gone. That would be fun!


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 Interview by RACHEL NELSON
 
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Tiziana Martin

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