Silence the world - Severn Suzuki
By TJ Wickham
Time: 3 minutes
Set: Hotel room in Rio de Janeiro preparing for the speech to the UN.
Costumes & Props: Casual clothes
Dialogue:
We’ve raised the money! We here in Rio de Janeiro and tomorrow is the United
Nations Earth Summit which I’m due to speak. I can’t believe Vanessa, Morgan, Michelle and
me actually raised the money to travel 5,000 miles. But we did it. We finally have our chance
to speak up and try and let the adults that lead our world what we actually think.
I’m nervous. I’m scared. They’ve elected me to speak in front of the leaders of the
world. Don’t get me wrong I love the opportunity but.... well I guess it’s just dawned on me.
The lump in my throat, the light headedness, my legs that don’t want to hold my weight
anymore. What happens if I’m like this at the podium? What if I don’t remember my
speech? What If I blow the only chance we have to make a difference?
I keep thinking about that child I spoke to the other day on the streets. The words he
said, “I wish I was rich. And if I were, I would give all the street children food, clothes,
medicines, shelter and love and affection.” I don’t think I’m rich, but I have all those things
that this child wants for other children. He was so willing to share when he had nothing, and
we have everything and I can’t help but feel we’re so greedy.
Wickham, TJ. ‘Silence the world – Severn Suzuki’. 2011. ONLINE EDITION from
WWW.TJWICKHAM.COM.
Silence the world - Severn Suzuki
By TJ Wickham
Well I can’t. I just can’t waste this opportunity to make a difference. We’ve put so
much on the line, and this is a great opportunity to speak in front of people that can actually
make a difference? When will a girl my age ever get this opportunity? But what to tell them?
So much to tell them! I know my friends will help, and my teachers and especially Dad. Dad?
He used to take me out fishing in Vancouver, and now the fish we loved to eat are full of
cancers. It scares me, more than any speech in front of important people, in front of the
world. It scares me that my world is dying, the animals are becoming extinct. I dream of
traveling the world and seeing wild animals, the jungles and rainforests but now that might
not happen. They could be logged before I get a chance, the animals that are rare now
won’t even be around for my children; black rhino’s, Gorillas, tigers, whales. All those
animals will be like dinosaurs to them. Nothing but pages in a book.
Once they’ve gone, do they know how to bring these animals back? The hole in the
ozone layer, do they know how to fix it? I don’t. But they have to realise that they don’t
either. And if you don’t know how to fix it, stop breaking it.
I can’t waste this moment. In my anger, I can’t be blind, and in my fear, I can’t be
afraid of telling the world how I feel. That they can’t keep comforting the children of the
world by saying everything is going to be all right. Because it’s not alright. The things they
keep telling us are the things that they are doing. Clean up your own mess, respect others,
don’t fight with others. These are the actions of the grown ups that are controlling my
Wickham, TJ. ‘Silence the world – Severn Suzuki’. 2011. ONLINE EDITION from
WWW.TJWICKHAM.COM.
Silence the world - Severn Suzuki
By TJ Wickham
future. It makes me cry at night. You are what you do, not what you say. I wish they’re
actions reflected their words. But they don’t! And they probably never will. But I’m going to
try my hardest to make them listen tomorrow. They have to listen tomorrow.
Reference
“When she was 12, Severn Suzuki and three Vancouver schoolmates raised money to
go to the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Her speech to delegates had such
an impact that she became a frequent invitee to U.N. conferences.”(Think Global Green
2008)
Think Global Green. Speech by Severn Suzuki to the UN in 1992
http://www.thinkglobalgreen.org/Suzuki.html. Retrieved August 2011
The girl who silenced the world at the U.N. for 5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1I6ljzaY9k&feature=grec_index. Retrieved August
2011
Wickham, TJ. ‘Silence the world – Severn Suzuki’. 2011. ONLINE EDITION from
WWW.TJWICKHAM.COM.