In December 2015, the Dutch Naturefriends Magda Vodde and Ellis Kramer cycled together with 30 activists of the Dutch environmental association Milieudefensie in 8 days from the Cathedral Tower in Utrecht to the Paris Eiffel Tower in order to join the 21st UN Climate Conference.

The yellow-vest-movement did not exist that time, but the participants wore yellow vests with the inscription: “We are the energy revolution”.

In Gerardsbergen in the east of Flanders, they were cordially welcomed by the local group of the ATB Natuurvrienden, which gave them their Manneken Pis as a tangible sign of solidarity, which might be even older than the Brussels copy.

Magda and Ellis wanted to show that the Naturefriends are actively involved in climate protection and are a strategic partner for the wellbeing of our planet. They also wanted to encourage individual commitment, and to point out how joint activities can connect people.