An English university has unveiled a new bronze statue of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg on its campus.
According to BBC News, the life-sized sculpture in question, named 'Make a Difference', was recently erected in Winchester University as part of its £50 million West Downs Centre development.
The installation cost £24,000 ($33,000) and features the Swedish activist standing with her hand outstretched to passers-by. It was first commissioned back in 2019.
Per The Evening Standard, Christine Charlesworth, the artist responsible for the statue, has heaped praise upon Thunberg, stating: "It is hard to deny her courage and determination.
"As is often the case with people on the autism spectrum, social interaction is difficult for her.
"It is therefore even more remarkable that she has been able to the forefront the mobilization of young people in support of global environmental protection and to address world leaders on a face-to-face basis."
Meanwhile, Winchester University Vice-President Joy Carter stated:
"Greta is a young woman who, in spite of difficulties in her life, has become a world-leading environmental activist. As the university for sustainability and social justice, we are proud to honor this inspirational woman in this way.
"We know that many find her a controversial figure. As a university, we welcome reasoned debate and critical conversations.
"We hope her statue will help to inspire our community, reminding us that no matter what life throws at us we can still change the world for the better. That is a message we want all our students and all young people to hear."
However, BBC News reports that the sculpture has proved controversial with students, with some describing it as a "vanity project."
Per BBC News, University of Winchester Student Union President Megan Ball stated: "We're in a Covid year, lots of students haven't really had access to campus, lots of them are trying to study online and are in dire need of support.
"We are calling on the university to match the statue cost by committing £23,760 in additional funding to student support services across campus.
"We urge them to publicly face the critical issues which students are highlighting and provide a transparent breakdown of additional and existing financial support."
In response, Vice President Carter has insisted in a follow-up statement that the money spent on the statue was diverted from student support or from staffing.
