NEW YORK, 22 Aprile 2014 – Turn off the ignition, put down the car keys and run. Run ‘til you go green – was the constant refrain from Italy’s earth day message.
With a "zero kilometre" run/walk marathon along the Valley Nature Reserve dell’Aniene, Rome made sure that people understood the full meaning of Earth Day. Milan's environmentally-themed 'Italy Earth Day concert' at the Arcimboldi theatre was a total success, as tons of people who turned up to sway to the beat of songs from Rosalba Pippa (Arisa).
“This day is dedicated to green cities of the Earth,” an enthusiastic teenager at the concert said.
Those were only a couple of the extensive series of events Earth Day Italia arranged. "This year we want to do much more, so we continue supporting efforts to protect the planet through small daily gestures,” President of Earth Day Italy, Pierluigi Sassi, said. “We have to organize projects to bring about the “future we all want.”
At a UN high-level conference Tuesday in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke with member states of the organization about continuing collaborative efforts to balance all dimensions of sustainable development.
“I appeal to all people everywhere to raise their voices. Speak out on behalf of this planet, our only home. Let us care for Mother Earth so she can continue to care for us as she has done for millennia,” Mr. Ban said.
Photo exhibition "Heroes of Earth" at the MAXXI Museum of 21st Century Arts, showed a range of captivating pictures. The pictures told small successful stories of Italian citizens who stood to make a difference in showing their commitment to the environment, and the community at large. The World Bank had partnered with Earth Day Italy and a non-profit organization called Shoot4change to sponsor the event.
Italian celebrities, artists, scientists, and journalists, joined in on global panel discussions to collaborate with international partners, local organizers, NGOs, and governments to help increase public awareness and solidify commitments. The main focus was reinforce the full meaning of Earth Day; outline the impacts of climate change and organize projects to bring about the “future we all want,” one attendee stated.
Detailed proposals and negotiations for a re-haul of the public transport system and encouraging the use of bicycles, as well as the purchase of new eco-system machinery to improve water management on corn farms, all proved successful. Inefficient machinery is often blamed for tainting the atmosphere.
“We need a global transformation of attitude and practice,” Mr. Ban ended.
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