Climate activist Greta Thunberg made a surprise appearance at the Zurich Film Festival on Tuesday to support the premiere of documentary "My Home of Wind and Sand," which examines Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara. Speaking alongside Sahrawi human rights activist Najla Mohamed-Lamin, Thunberg criticised what she termed "extreme hypocrisy" surrounding the international response to the conflict, highlighting multiple layers of betrayal—from the occupation itself to inadequate media attention and failure of solidarity movements. She called on privileged individuals with platforms to take moral action, declaring that without such commitment, "we are nothing more than hypocrites."

Western Sahara has been under Moroccan occupation since 1975 and is widely regarded as Africa's last colonial conflict. The documentary, directed by Patrick Wally and distributed by Lightbox, centres on Mohamed-Lamin's ten-year struggle for independence. Mohamed-Lamin, speaking at the event, emphasised her commitment to carrying "the message of my people" across all forums, from documentaries to chance encounters. The appearance comes amid growing scrutiny of the occupation; in 2025 the United States reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, whilst Christopher Nolan's film "The Odyssey" recently faced backlash for filming scenes in the occupied territory.