Alex Rose-Innes
This annual event, with this year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth™,” will take place on Thursday, April 22 and will feature various events across the world to address climate action and show support for the protection of the environment.
First held on this date in 1970, today a billion people in more than 193 countries are part of this global celebration. The planned events start off today, April 20 with a global youth climate summit led by Earth Uprising, in collaboration with #My Future My Voice, #OneMillionOfUs with hundreds of youth climate activists as part of the commemoration. The summit, which will be live streamed for sub-Saharan Africa at 18:30pm, April 20 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Panel discussions, speeches and special messages will feature well-known youth climate activists such as Greta Thunberg from Sweden, Alexandria Villaseñor from California in the US and child activist, Licypriya Kangujam from India.
At 11pm tonight (April 20), the Hip Hop Caucus and its partners will present the “We Shall Breathe” virtual summit, discussing climate and environmental justice, pollution, poverty, police brutality and the pandemic, all within a racial justice framework.
Tomorrow, April 21, Education International will lead the “Teach for the Planet: Global Education Summit” at 11am. Spanning several time zones, activists from every continent will focus on the role of educators in combating climate change and the importance of transformative climate education now.
The actual Earth Day celebrations across the globe will run parallel to President Joe Biden’s global climate summit and the live digital event can be watched on EarthDay.org at 16:00 Tuesday, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Workshops, panel discussions and special performances will focus on Restore Our Earth™ addressing natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking to restore the world’s ecosystems.
Other topics will include reforestation efforts, regenerative agriculture, equity and environmental justice, citizen science and clean-up efforts to name but a few.
World climate and industry and thought leaders, grassroots activists, non-profit organisations, artists, musicians, influencers and the leaders of tomorrow will all do their bit towards a better tomorrow.
How is Africa celebrating Earth Day?
EarthDay.org-Africa, working with partners across several sub-Saharan countries will be mobilising Africans from grassroots up to governments to Restore Our Earth™
Watch events on https://www.earthday.org
