“Earth hour” idea-symbol-movement
One hour without power – “Earth hour” will bring hundreds of millions of people across the world together at 20:30, 31 March. It will be a symbolic step taken by those people to draw attention to climate change in a bid to protect our planet.
“Earth hour” started in Sydney as a small initiative and is very simple activity: on each last Saturday of March, people caring about the global climate change come together and stop using power during an hour which symbolizes reducing the volume of carbon oxide emitted into atmosphere. It took off with a simple idea and has turned into symbol of not being indifferent about climate change, currently “Earth hour” is the biggest ecological campaign of the world supported by over 5000 cities from 135 countries and joined by hundreds of millions of people.
Up to day, Eifel Tower, Egyptian pyramids, Buckingham palace, Sydney Opera House, Empire State Building and thousands of symbolic buildings across the world went dark during an hour.
In 2011, Azerbaijan joined this global movement for the first time and on 27 March, and our country took a first step by turning off the lights of the symbol of our capital Maiden Tower.
“Earth hour” 2012 campaigns will be the biggest event of all times. Because “Earth hour” is calling on each individual, each group, each society to join global movement. This call is for those who want to strengthen the global movement which is taking responsibility for our future and thinking of tomorrow. Hundreds of millions of people who believe small steps can make a difference and who have willpower to take these steps will come together once more on 31 of March.
It is important for us Azerbaijani youths to support this call and to ensure participation of our country in this campaign. We understand the responsibility of our work, and we are determined to continue our path. But the efforts of only students and youths are not sufficient to make this mission a success. We would like private companies, state bodies, public organizations, active citizens, in short, everybody interested in sustainable development of the planet to take an active part in this campaign and we are sure they will.
We thank everybody for their efforts in a bid to represent Azerbaijan in a global movement which started from a simple idea to become a symbol of development and movement of millions.
Best regards,
Rauf Mardiyev
WWF “Earth hour” Azerbaijan country manager
www.earthhour.az
http://youtu.be/FovYv8vf5_E
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Hour
