Earth Hour is a key moment to unite people to speak up for nature, deciding the future of our planet. This year, the Earth Hour goals were to raise awareness and visibility of the interconnected challenges facing our planet: nature loss, climate change, health and pandemics.
WWF and the World YMCA embarked on an exciting global collaboration with this year’s Earth Hour – that took place on 27 March 2021 at 8:30pm local time, with an eco-friendly challenge after and before the event. There was a 10 Days Earth Hour Challenge (starting 18th March).
It was a call to action is to ask everybody: individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions – to “Speak Up for Nature”.
You were invited to celebrate Earth Hour digitally with photo post on social media with these hashtags #EarthHour #Connect2Earth. Wolrd YMCA will create a thank you video to the participation of young people from YMCA movement.
Over 1 billion people in more than 193 countries participated in various events and activities coordinated globally.
Every year, people from all over the world are waiting for the countdown to celebrate Earth Hour and take one iconic action : switch off the lights. But it’s so much more than that. For me,this year, it was a symbol of unity, symbol of hope, reflection and collective action for nature, More people than ever are getting behind this cause on social media using the hasthags #ForNature and the #Earth. Earth Hour was about staying in touch, via whatever virtual space, your home, at work, even in your recreation space, any place works for you. But we need these hashtags turned into actions. That’s why Earth Hour 2021 was more essential than ever, not just to bring us together, but to scream for our future and the future of humanity. Take some simple steps. Change your daily routine, turn off the TV, don’t use the lights but sit outside in the evening under the stars. And Inspire others to take actions. Everybody can still join a big switch off next year! Thanks for the WWF for his collaboration with YMCA, the participation of all YMCA and WWF leaders, and people who felt concerned! – Emmanuelle Makunga, France
For me, this year’s Earth Hour was a rather calm and cosy event. Another evening staying at home, but this time really thinking about our impact on Earth, switching off the lights and enjoying a calm dinner and a cosy board game night with candle light. Sometimes it’s all about these small things – making a small impact and creating memories to look back on. – Tabea Meyerjürgens, Germany
I have been attending Earth Hour as a private person for some years now and was now really excited that the World YMCA cooperated with the WWF this year to speak out for nature. Earth Hour is an important event for the protection of our earth and to turn our words into action! All you have to do is to take part with a seemingly small gesture of turning off the lights for one hour. But if we all do it, it has a huge impact. I did the same and enjoyed a quiet, candlelit evening. I hope you all had a great Earth Hour and that it inspired you to keep going – because Earth Hour is just the beginning! – Stefanie Tornow, Germany
On this occasion, I spent the evening with my family while using candles and enjoying our time together. Especially, thinking about the pandemics and how important it is to stay home and safe and being grateful for having the possibility to be all together enjoying a family dinner. Couldn’t be happier now that the YMCA cooperates with WWF so we can make this event bigger and capable of reaching more people. – Juan Ignacio Montes,Uruguay
The YMCA-RGE (Resource Group on the Environment) is an international team of young leaders from within the YMCA movement seeking to further the World YMCA`s advocacy and climate education.
Find more about the group at https://www.ymcaeurope.com/ymca-rge
