NEW YORK (TIP): The Indian Diaspora Council (IDC) joins in solidarity with its global affiliates and membership, other organizations, institutions, agencies, and individuals globally in supporting the international awareness of Earth Day and its 2021 campaign to Restore Our Earth.

April 22 is Earth Day, an international event celebrated around the world to pledge support for environmental protection. The year 2021 marks the 51st anniversary of the annual celebrations. This year’s theme for Earth Day is ‘Restore Our Earth’. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 as ‘International Mother Earth Day’. Earth Day was first observed in 1970, when 20 million took to the streets to protest against environmental degradation. The event was triggered by the 1969 Santa Barbara, California oil spill, as well as other issues such as smog and polluted rivers.

For over the next half century, Earth Day continued to play an important role in environmental activism. The landmark Paris Agreement, which brings almost 200 countries together in setting a common target to reduce global greenhouse emissions, was signed on Earth Day 2016.“Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is a chance to set the world on a cleaner, greener, more sustainable path,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement. “Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action. Let’s remind more than ever on this International Mother Earth Day that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet”.

“Education is the foundation for progress. We need to build a global citizenry fluent in the concepts of climate change and aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet. We need to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defense of environmental protection. Environmental and climate literacy is the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs”.

Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC) Statement: “Earth sustains all life and must be protected in order for it to continue to provide viable means for sustainable life, health and well being of all its inhabitants, especially as the world population keeps on increasing. Over consumption and over population adversely affect the natural resources and earth’s climate with catastrophic consequences. It is an increasingly urgent call to action, a commitment of individual and collective responsibility, obligation and duty for environmental literacy and awareness from the early stages among children as well as among adults, professionals, businesses, institutions, agencies and officials. Our legacy is intimately linked to protection of earth and its environment for a sustainable future and that is undeniable and indisputable. While economic progress is important, it is vital that all sectors of society, as a collective partnership, make this collective commitment for earth’s sustainable future. We live and share in earth’s bounty of life sustenance and we have a responsibility to do that which we must to protect it as well.”

For more information, please contact: Indian Diaspora Council president Ashook Ramsaran@ ashookramsaran@gmail.com

Indian Diaspora Council International (IDC), established in 1997, is an international non-profit organization with global affiliates and membership in 21 countries with the objective to embrace, engage, and enhance the shared heritage, aspirations, and interests of persons of Indian origin with optimum inclusivity.