Belarus to join WWF’s Earth Hour on 28 March

Belarus will turn off the lights for the Earth Hour on 28 March, BelTA learned from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

The press service of the Green Network Environmental Association noted: "Belarus will join the largest environmental campaign Earth Hour and will switch the lights off for one hour from 20.30 to 21.30 local time on 28 March. Earth Hour is the largest environmental event in the world. Every person in any part of the work can join the event as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.”

Social actions and events will be held throughout Belarus. Building lighting will be off along Nezavisimosti and Pobeditelei Avenues, on the National Library, the Stolitsa shopping center, some universities, and many other landmark buildings and places of Minsk. The action was supported by the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Culture Ministry, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the Energy Minsitry and other government agencies.

"This year's event has also been supported by companies: MTS mobile operator will turn off the lights in their offices across the country. Velcom mobile operator has installed special containers for the disposal of batteries in its sales and service centers. They have been joined by the advertising company Leo Burnett in Belarus, hypermarkets Green, building materials manufacturer Paroc,” said the press service.

"The activities dedicated to the Earth Hour in Minsk will include the Living Library event when meetings will be organized with interesting people: a vegan, a raw food enthusiast, an urban forester, the authors of environmental charity projects, the Chernobyl clean-up workers,” the Green Network said.

Gomel, Grodno, Brest and Baranovichi will also turn off the lights for the Earth Hour.

Launched in Australia in 2007, WWF’s Earth Hour has grown to become the world's biggest environmental event, mobilizing people around a range of issues from deforestation to energy efficiency. More than 7,000 towns and cities in 154 countries took part in the event last year. The Earth Hour in Belarus has been initiated by the Green Network Environmental Association of with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Protection and the Energy Efficiency Department.