Clare Hymer & Sam Knights: In early November, in one of the oldest courtyards of the University of Barcelona, something unusual happened. Tents were erected. A banner was strung up in a stone archway. For seven days, students led workshops on movement-building and political struggle. At night they ate, talked and sang together. The students had two clear demands of their university: that it cut ties with fossil fuel companies, and that it introduce a compulsory module on the climate crisis. "They [the university management] didn't want us there," Gil, 21, tells Novara Media. "We weren't able to predict what was going to happen." The students stayed put, and before long, the university caved to one of their demands. From 2024, the University of Barcelona will be the first in the world to run a mandatory climate course for all students. "This was a big achievement," Gil argues. "It was a beautiful experience, and it pulled us all together." | |