The news was announced during the Fridays for Future rallies, which took place in more than 70 cities across Italy on Friday.

The protests around the country were part of a string of rallies throughout the world, including Japan, India, Nigeria, Greece, Germany and Britain, amid dire warnings that the planet faces dangerous temperature rises unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut sharply in coming years.

The global Fridays for Future movement involves school students skipping classes for demonstrations to demand government action in response to the climate crisis.

Thunberg, 18, will join a major demonstration on Friday, October 1, in Milan, where 400 young people from all over the world will meet to discuss solutions to tackle climate change.

Last week, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called for bold action on behalf of his counterparts to save the environment.

“We must act now, to safeguard the planet, our economies and future generations,” he told the UN General Assembly.

“Over the past few years it has often been young people who have brought change and pushed us to do more.

“It is our duty to listen to them because it will be they who will inherit the planet.”