BIGGEST ICONS TO SWITCH OFF FOR EARTH HOUR
Media Release:
28 March 2012
BIGGEST ICONS TO SWITCH OFF FOR EARTH HOUR
From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Empire State Building in New York City, the world’s tallest building the Burj Khalifa to the Leaning Tower in Pisa in Italy – at 8:30PM on March 31, the most visually captivating icons will go dark for Earth Hour 2012.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, the first landmarks to ever go dark for the lights out event, will switch off for the sixth year straight, before landmarks across Asia including the Great Wall of China, the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, the Tokyo Tower, Taipei 101 and the Lumbini Sacred Garden in Nepal celebrate their actions for the planet.
The Indian subcontinent will undertake its biggest Earth Hour yet, as India Gate switches off before Earth Hour makes its way through the Middle East, where the world’s tallest building in Dubai will go dark for one hour.
Just five months after the end of the Libyan uprising, more than 600 individuals are expected to gather outside Libya’s Museum in the very first Earth Hour event in that country.
In another extreme, Earth Hour will extend to the International Space Station for the first time, where astronaut and WWF ambassador Andre Kuipers will experience Earth Hour watching over the planet for the the European Space Agency (ESA).
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed that the headquarters of the United Nations will be switching off as he urged the rest of the world to take part,“Turning off our lights is a symbol of our commitment to sustainable energy for all, we need to fuel our future with clean, efficient and affordable energy.”
“In 2012, Earth Hour is reaching further and wider than ever before and these landmarks will provide a visually spectacular reminder of what can be done when individuals, organisations and governments act together,” said Andy Ridley, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Earth Hour.
From the picturesque Table Mountains in Cape Town right up to National Library of Belarus, Europe and Africa will stand together. Dubrovnik city walls in Croatia, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in Paris, Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Vatican will also join the world’s largest voluntary action for the environment.
Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in London will be the main landmarks in the United Kingdom to go dark, before Earth Hour makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean to South America, with Rio’s epic Christ the Redeemer statue and the Ángel de la Independencia in Mexico providing the backdrop for what will be some of the most spectacular celebrations for La Hora Del Planeta that night.
The Big Apple will also have its most famous landmarks take part, with the American Eagle and NASDAQ buildings in Times Square switching off, alongside New York City’s famous Empire State Building. The bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip will also go dark for the hour.
Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova has also personally urged all 938 World Heritage across the globe to switch off on March 31 at 8:30 PM.
Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007, to a 5,251 city strong global movement, last year reaching 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across all seven continents.
Earth Hour 2012 will take place at 8.30pm – 9.30pm on Saturday 31 March
Watch the 2012 Earth Hour video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FovYv8vf5_E
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthhour_global/sets/72157629582160173/
Official Website: EarthHour.org
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative in partnership with WWF and Leo Burnett. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 31, 2012 at 8:30 PM to show their support for environmentally sustainable action. In 2012, Earth Hour’s I Will If You Will concept invites individuals and organisations to challenge others to an ongoing environmental commitment beyond the hour. Earth Hour began in one city in 2007 and by 2011 reached over 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across every continent, receiving reports as ‘the World’s largest campaign for the planet’.
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
Rebecca George, Earth Hour Global, Rebecca@earthhour.org +61 421 988 035
Benjamin Vozzo, Earth Hour Global, Benjamin@earthhour.org +61 415 194 219