April 20 is International Earth Day. How Earth Day is celebrated in different cities of Russia

On April 22, the world celebrates a global holiday held under the auspices of the UN - International Mother Earth Day.

International Mother Earth Day has been celebrated annually on April 22 since 2010. Established by the UN General Assembly in 2009 (resolution No. A/RES/63/278). More than 50 UN member states co-sponsored the resolution.

The document states that the term “Mother Earth” is generally accepted in many countries and reflects the dependence between the planet, its ecosystems and humans. Inviting all UN member states, international and non-governmental organizations to celebrate “International Mother Earth Day”, the General Assembly emphasized that Earth Day is already celebrated annually in many countries.

According to some reports, this International Day arose on the basis of the Tree Day previously celebrated in the United States.

The tradition of celebrating Earth Day on April 22 originated in the United States in 1970, and in 1990 this day became an international event.

In Russia, the holiday has been celebrated since 1992. Moreover, every year this Day is dedicated to a specific topic.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Earth Day is celebrated in the spring, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is celebrated in the fall. The main goal of this worldwide action is to attract the attention of society and every person on the planet to the problems of the Earth, to the problems of its environment.

It is known that age of planet earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old. If you try to go around the Earth, walking along the equator, you will have to travel a distance of almost 40,010 kilometers.

Distance from the surface to the center of the Earth equals 6378 kilometers. Solid rocks (lithosphere) form a layer of only about 70 kilometers, and, moving further inland, we observe semi-liquid and liquid states.

The hottest place on Earth- Death Valley in California and a place in Libya called Al Azizia. The Al Azizia record is 57.8 degrees Celsius (September 13, 1922), the Death Valley record is 55.8 degrees Celsius (July 10, 1913).

The coldest place on Earth- Antarctica. There, on July 21, 1983, at the Vostok research station in Antarctica, -89 degrees Celsius was recorded.

The earth is incredibly rich in minerals - scientists have already classified about 4,000 types of minerals, about 200 of them are of practical importance. Every year 50-100 types of minerals are discovered.

The Earth has one natural satellite - the Moon visible to the naked eye.

Mother Earth Day on April 22, like Earth Day, held on the vernal equinox, gives every inhabitant in all populated corners of the planet the opportunity to express gratitude to our large common home.

Every year, scientists from around the world gather on this day at a round table to discuss global environmental problems. A wide variety of events and promotions are organized in different countries. These include conferences, exhibitions, closing traffic on the busy streets of large cities, cleaning the area and planting trees.

In Russia, International Earth Day is traditionally considered the day of public organizations that hold various environmental events and campaigns on this day.

On this day, everyone can take part in the improvement and landscaping of their yards and streets.

A wonderful planet, the only one in our entire galaxy filled with life. Thanks to her, people can wake up and smile at the sun. Enjoy the singing of birds, the scents of flowers, and most importantly, life.

Who created this beauty, God or a combination of special natural circumstances, is not known for certain. Admiring its uniqueness and originality, the evolutionist Darwin himself believed in God, saying: “Everything on this earth is so natural and correct that all this directly points to its Creator.”

One thing is certain: the Earth is home to all living beings, including humans. And Earth Day 2018 encourages us to think about this.

When will the whole world celebrate a wonderful holiday in 2018?

In fact, there are several such days. The first Earth Day is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, which will come to us on March 20, and the second - on April 22. The first is aimed at drawing attention to the need for peace on the entire planet, against wars, destruction and destruction of living things. And the second has an environmental background and is aimed at preserving nature and the environment as a whole.

In addition to these dates, all nations have their own holidays dedicated to the Earth. For example, on the Day of the Holy Spirit, which falls immediately after Trinity, the Slavs also celebrated the birthday of Mother Earth. And before the advent of Orthodoxy, the Slavs celebrated Earth Day on May 22.

Earth Day March 20

In 1840, American social activist John Morton, on the day of the spring equinox, gathered like-minded people, with whom he planted a huge number of trees and other plants.

32 years later, he joined the leadership of the state of Nebraska and continued his activities, calling on people to humanely and respectfully treat nature. He also proposed calling the day on which he and his company planted trees Tree Day and called on all residents of the United States to continue his endeavors.

People responded to his call, and a new tradition emerged, a kind of holiday, when everyone in one impulse, cheerfully, with songs and conversations, greened their cities and states, and then held festive dinners, with concerts, dances, etc.

Seeing the popularity of such a holiday in America, in 1971 the United Nations decided to make it global and call it Earth Day. Moreover, on the day of the spring equinox, when the earth is reborn and begins a new revolution, this is very symbolic.

Over time, this day has acquired many traditions. In addition to the fact that organizations, students, schoolchildren and public activists are engaged in greening their cities, a custom has emerged on this day of ringing the Peace Bell.

It was cast in memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which suffered from nuclear explosions. The bell is intended to remind all people of the Earth about the tragedy that happened and to never allow such destruction and casualties again.

Later, such Peace Bells appeared in many cities in different countries, and on World Earth Day they begin to ring. But not only to remind people of the terrible explosions, but also to encourage people to pay attention to the magnificent planet on which they live. To give birth to a desire in them to create, to make her and themselves better, more merciful, and to take care of what the Earth has already given them - life.

Earth Day even has its own flag, the emblem of which is our planet, photographed from space.

Earth Day – April 22

The history of this event originates from the first recognized Earth holiday. In 1970, US politician Gaylord Nelson initiated the creation of a student movement to protect the environment. It was supposed to be a one-time event where Harvard students would parade with signs calling for conservation.

But the event was a great success, and its popularity grew every year, reaching incredible proportions when more than 20 million people staged environmental demonstrations on one day. In the end, Nelson noted that he just made the beginning, and Earth Day created itself.

The main goal of the action was to draw people's attention to the fact that by destroying the environment, they are also destroying themselves. As a result of technological progress, the growing anthropological pressure has a detrimental effect on everything: the climate; on living creatures that become extinct or end up in the Red Book; in air and water, which are oversaturated with harmful elements as a result of human activity.

As a result of this large-scale program, many laws were passed in America to preserve the environment, and in 2009 the United Nations officially decided to consider April 22 as Earth Day.

On this day, parades and demonstrations are held all over the world calling for the protection of nature. Various environmental activities are also carried out. Schoolchildren draw pictures on environmental themes with crayons on the asphalt.

Concerts are held where singers and poets, with their creativity, also force people’s consciousness to wake up and recognize themselves as one with nature, and get rid of the consumerist attitude towards it. And, just like on the first Earth Day, the Bells of Peace ring.

Earth Hour

Holidays like Earth Day have inspired ideas from other organizations dedicated to protecting our world. Thus, the World Wildlife Fund launched the Earth Hour project, inviting all people on the planet, both privately and in companies, to turn off the power for one hour.

The event, like Earth Day, quickly became popular. And although electricians argue that this makes no sense, such projects are necessary for people, if only in order to once again realize the consequences of their activities and give to the Earth at least a fraction of what it gives to us. We clean our home every day, so it’s also worth remembering about our common Home. If people consciously treat the Earth, it will return a hundredfold.

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Earth Day was first celebrated twice in 1970: on April 21 and 22. The organizers of this holiday were John McConnell and US Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Over time, the holiday became more popular. In 1992, a summit dedicated to the environment was held in Rio de Janeiro. The conference, organized by the UN, took place from June 3 to 14.

By this time, millions of people around the world recognized and began to celebrate this holiday. Earth Day is dedicated to nature, discussing environmental issues, exploring the possibilities of preserving the planet from the harmful effects of people, conveying a message to the world that the planet should be taken care of.

What to do for Earth Day

Think about how you live. Are the decisions you make consistent with your lifestyle? And if not, what can be done to make this happen? You have the power to help the environment. There are many ways to do this. What should you pay attention to next year? What strengths can you use to encourage others to be more mindful of nature?

If you are a leader by nature, you can become the very lever that encourages others to take active action. Or you can lead by setting a good example.

What issues do you know the least about? Learn about the most pressing environmental problems and direct your efforts to solve them. Dedicate this day to decisions that will impact the entire next year. Another way to celebrate Earth Day is to have fun, socialize,...

Where is Earth Day celebrated?

Earth Day celebrations take place in many countries around the world: the USA, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Australia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Uzbekistan.

In many large cities, the celebration is not limited to one day, but extends over a week. Earth Week typically runs from April 16th to April 22nd.

All over the world, on the initiative of the UN, is celebrated Earth Day. Moreover, in the calendar of international holidays there are two Earth Days - today is celebrated on, and the second on. The first has a peacekeeping and humanistic orientation, the second – environmental.

The date March 20 was chosen and officially approved in 1971 by the UN for Earth Day precisely because the spring equinox falls at this time, when the biological rhythm of the planet changes and it moves to a new stage of its development, when nature awakens and renews itself. The UN message says: “Earth Day is a special time that is intended to attract the attention of all people to the awareness of planet Earth as their common home, to feel our universal community and mutual dependence on each other.”

The founder of this Day is considered to be the famous American public figure John Morton, who in the 1840s launched a campaign to plant trees and shrubs as part of a program for every citizen of the country to respect the environment. And when he became Secretary of the Nebraska Territory in 1872, he proposed establishing a day dedicated to landscaping. This is how Arbor Day appeared, which immediately became very popular.

During the first Day, residents of the state planted about a million trees, and their initiative soon grew into a social movement. Starting in 1970, the meaning of the holiday expanded to the general idea of ​​environmental protection, and a new name appeared - Earth Day, which became national. In 1971, the UN officially adopted this holiday, and subsequently it became global, receiving more and more international support every year.

Today is Earth Day - a worldwide movement of civil initiatives in defense of the planet as a common global Home, uniting many different events and actions, both environmental and environmental, as well as peacekeeping. This is not so much a holiday as an occasion to once again think about the problems of a fragile and vulnerable environment, the problems of relationships between humans and the surrounding world. In Russia, Earth Day is celebrated as part of the Days of Protection from Environmental Hazards.

Among the most popular events to protect and improve the environment held on this day in different parts of our planet are environmental exhibitions and festivals, marathons and conferences about nature, cleaning streets and areas in cities, planting trees and stopping traffic on busy roads. streets of major cities, cultural events and concerts...

Peace Bell at UN Headquarters, New York

It is also worth noting that, according to established tradition, every year on Earth Day in the vast majority of countries it is certainly customary to ring the Peace Bell for one minute, which is a symbol of peaceful life, friendship and solidarity of all peoples, and a call to action in the name of preserving culture and the best achievements of humanity. And the meaning of this ceremony is that during this minute, people think about how to preserve our beautiful planet, how to improve life on it, to feel like residents and part of the Earth.

The first Peace Bell was cast in 1954 in memory of the tragedy of Japanese cities that survived the nuclear bombing, and installed at the UN headquarters in New York. It is cast from coins collected by children from all continents; orders and medals and other honorary badges of people from many countries are also fused into it. The inscription on the Bell reads: “Long live universal peace throughout the world.” Then similar bells began to be installed in other countries - Japan (1954), Germany, Poland, Turkey (1989), Mexico (1990), Australia (1992), Mongolia (1993), Canada (1996), Brazil (1997), Argentina (1998), Ecuador (1999), Uzbekistan (2003) and other countries. Russia joined the Peace Bell on Earth Day campaign in 1998.

Earth Day also has its own flag depicting one of the first photographs of our planet from Space. This is a sign of awareness that only through joint efforts can we solve global environmental and social problems on Earth. Therefore, it is no coincidence that this holiday is actively supported by astronauts. After all, they were the first to tell the world how beautiful and defenseless our planet is, and how it needs the careful treatment of all of us.

Beautiful blue ball
Soaring in the darkness of the Universe.
A cozy home for you and me
The abode of unchanging life.

Deep seas and oceans,
Desert sands, green forests,
And volcanoes gush with lava,
The skies are blue above them.

Let's congratulate our beautiful planet!
Today is her holiday!
Let's manage to preserve all this beauty,
Pass it on to your descendants!

Other holidays and memorable dates on March 20

French Language Day, like the days of other languages ​​of the United Nations, has been celebrated recently - only since 2010. The introduction of the new holiday was initiated by the UN Department of Public Relations. ...

(English) EarthDay) - every year on April 22, people all over the planet celebrate Earth Day. This holiday has become a universal symbolic holiday of love and care for our common home and is celebrated throughout the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The event was organized for the first time by the Earth Day Network. On this day, in different parts of the world, people who care about environmental problems hold events aimed at making the world more clean and responsible.

There are two main periods for the event: in March (closer to the spring equinox) and on April 22. In addition, action groups are currently planning and implementing a number of Earth Day activities closer to the summer solstice to make the most of the warm weather and people's free time.

Story. The founder of Earth Day is considered to be John Sterling Morton from the state of Nebraska (USA), who, at a meeting of the State Department of Agriculture, as secretary of the territory, proposed in 1872 to designate an annual day dedicated to greening the surrounding area. The proposal was approved and received widespread support from the people of the state. In 1882, Arbor Day was declared an official state holiday in Nebraska by the government, falling on April 22.

On April 22, 1970, in New York (USA), the famous American politician and activist Senator Gaylord Nelson created a group of students led by Dennis Hayes (Harvard student), who for the first time organized a national holiday - Earth Day. Since this was a time of active student movements, the initiative attracted a lot of attention. Its participants invited ordinary ordinary Americans to pay attention to the environmental problems of our time and try to jointly protect the green planet. A year later, a state environmental protection agency was created in the United States; today it is quite active and has close contacts with government agencies in most countries, including Ukraine.

In 1971, due to the success of the first Day, Senator Nelson proclaimed "Earth Week" (during the 3rd week of April) as an annual event that became extremely popular among the US population. Nelson was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his work.

The international holiday was declared in 1990. At the initiative of the American Stanford University, the 90s were proclaimed the “Decade of the Environment”. This action received support in more than 120 countries around the world, and more than 40 countries joined forces to campaign for the conservation of biological diversity. On this holiday, every inhabitant of the planet can make a small contribution to protecting the environment: clear the surrounding area of ​​garbage, plant at least one tree, refuse to use a car at least for a day.

The event began to be celebrated in Ukraine as a day of nature protection, a day of actions in order to attract public attention to the problems of our planet.

In 2009, the UN General Assembly proclaimed International Mother Earth Day, deciding to celebrate it on April 22.

Planet Earth logo. The Earth flag is not an official symbol of anything (since there is no official planetary government or state). It is a photograph of the planet from space (currently the image taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts on the way to the Moon is used) against a dark blue background. Traditionally, the Flag is associated with Earth Day and other environmental, peacekeeping and civil international events.

The symbol of the day is the green Greek letter Θ (Theta) on a white background.

Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week with a week of events aimed at addressing the environmental issues facing the world.

Earth Day is now coordinated globally and celebrated in over 193 countries every year.

Photo: iStock/Global Images Ukraine