Global Earth Hour's lights-out to be held on 28 March

World Wildlife Fund is seeking support from millions of people around the globe to participate Earth Hour, hailed as the biggest ever global movement, by switching off non-essential lighting for an hour and send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change.

WWF is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organisations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour during Earth Hour next Saturday, 28 March 2009 at 8:30 pm to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

In 2008, an estimated 50 million people from 371 cities across 35 countries turned their lights out in a united call for action on climate change, in the project that began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, as a one-city environmental campaign, with a participation of just 2 million (See: London plunges into darkness to raise awareness on global warming). 

In 2009, Earth Hour, aims to have 1 billion people in 1,000 cities switch off their lights. It is expected to be world's largest environmental awareness event ever,  with over people  from 1,500 cities including such cities as Atlanta, Las Vegas, Delhi, Miami, New York, Beijing, Mexico City, Istanbul, Paris, Rome and Sydney participating. (See: Global black out for climate change action planned) 

India is one of the 62 participating countries this year in the programme.

A host of high profile ambassadors across the world have also lent their support to the campaign, most notably Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett.

Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic imagery for Barack Obama in the recent US Presidential Election, has agreed to create artwork for the Earth Hour campaign.

Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley, said that Earth Hour is more than just a call to action on climate change, ''Earth Hour is an opportunity for the global community to speak in one voice on the issue of climate change, while at the same time coming together in celebration of the one thing every single person on the planet has in common – the planet.''

The Washington National Cathedral is among many area landmarks throughout metropolitan Washington turning off their lights for World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour 2009 on March 28 as part of a symbolic vote for action on climate change.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged citizens around the world to join WWF's Earth Hour to demand action on climate change.

In a video-taped address, the Secretary-General said that Earth Hour promises to be ''the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted.''

''Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message. They want action on climate change.'' said Secretary-General Ban.

Speaking just a week before Earth Hour rolls out across thousands of towns and cities across the globe, Ban underlined the seriousness of climate change and the need for a global climate deal to be agreed when the world's leaders meet in Copenhagen this coming December.

''People will be telling their representatives to seal a deal in Copenhagen. A deal at the climate change talks that will protect people and the planet. We need an ambitious agreement. An agreement that is fair and effective. An agreement based on sound science.''

Secretary-General Ban went on to underline the seriousness of climate change and the scale of the task ahead. ''We are on a dangerous path. Our planet is warming. We must change our ways,'' he said. ''We need green growth that benefits all communities. We need sustainable energy for a more climate-friendly, prosperous world. This is the path of the future. We must walk it together.''

Icons around the world committed to Earth Hour include:

• The Las Vegas Strip
• Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
• Sears Tower in Chicago
• Eiffel Tower in Paris
• Notre Dame in Paris
• Sydney Opera House
• Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
• Niagara Falls
• Stockholm Castle
• Burj Dubai

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, noting that all lighting related to public safety will remain on.