X' PLORICA: April 2017

Saturday, 22 April 2017

EARTH DAY

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

On Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by the United States, China, and some 120 other countries. This signing satisfied a key requirement for the entry into force of the historic draft climate protection treaty adopted by consensus of the 195 nations present at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.

In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace, to first be celebrated on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. This day of nature's equipoise was later sanctioned in a proclamation written by McConnell and signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations. A month later a separate Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. Nelson was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in recognition of his work. While this April 22 Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations.

Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces. In 2017, the March for Science occurs on Earth day (April 22, 2017) and is followed by the People's Climate Mobilization (April 29, 2017).

"Our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl

the most beautiful planet in the universe

all the continents and the oceans of the world

united we stand as flora and fauna

united we stand as species of one earth

black, brown, white, different colours

we are humans, the earth is our home.

Our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl

the most beautiful planet in the universe

all the people and the nations of the world

all for one and one for all

united we unfurl the blue marble flag

black, brown, white, different colours

we are humans, the earth is our home."

"Earth Anthem" by Abhay K

The "Ode to Joy" melody by Beethoven, the official anthem of the European Union, also is performed on the Earth Day. Lyrics for the Earth Day Anthem set to "Ode to Joy" are as follows:

"Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment

Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise

Now we must resolve to protect her

Show her our love throughout all time

With our gentle hand and touch

We make our home a newborn world

Now we must resolve to protect her

Show her our love throughout all time

With our gentle hand and touch

We make our home a newborn world"