Earth Day appeared on the international calendar of holidays with the suggestion of the American businessman and publisher John McConnell. In October 1969, he proposed to celebrate it in San Francisco, and a month later he presented a project for the celebration of Earth Day at a UNESCO conference on the environment.
Celebration of the Earth
The inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere celebrate World Earth Day on the day of the vernal equinox, and the Southern Hemisphere on the day of the autumn equinox. Despite this difference, the holiday falls on the same date - March 20 or 21. It all depends on the length of the tropical year - the time interval between the two equinoxes of the same name, which does not coincide with the length of calendar years. That is why the moment of equinox each year moves forward by almost 6 hours and can fall on two adjacent dates.
In the 2000s, the vernal equinox fell on March 21 three times (2003, 2007, 2011). In the rest of the years, it came on March 20.
The day of the celebration was not chosen by chance. It falls on the date when the Earth is in such a position in relation to the Sun that both hemispheres from the poles to the equator heat up about the same, and the length of night and day is almost equal throughout the world. This was done to draw attention to the global problems of the planet, its value and vulnerability. In the balance and balance of the equinox lies the symbolism of Earth Day.
The ancient scientists of India, China, Egypt were well aware of the days of the equinox. At that time, these days were considered a very big holiday. However, in the modern world, some countries attach particular importance to this astronomical event. Thus, on the day of the vernal equinox, Muslims celebrate Navruz, a holiday symbolizing the beginning of spring, prosperity and growth.
From the day of the vernal equinox, the seasons of the year change across the hemispheres: an astronomical spring comes in the North, and autumn in the South, which lasts until June 21. This day is the summer solstice.
How Earth Day is celebrated
For the first time, Earth Day was celebrated on March 21, 1970. Every year on this day, the Peace Bell can be heard at the UN headquarters in New York. He begins to make sounds exactly at the moment of the beginning of the equinox. The first time his ringing in this regard was heard on March 21, 1971. This event was also initiated by John McConnell.
The meaning of the ceremony is so that for one minute, while the bell rings, people can think about what they can do to save the Earth, as well as realize themselves as her children and improve the life of all living things on the planet.
Raising the flag of the Earth is another mandatory part of the celebration of this day. By the way, the flag of the planet was also invented by John McConnell in 1970. It is a photograph of the Earth taken from Space.
Earth Day in Russia
A bell ceremony is also held in Russia on this day. It has been held since 1998 on the initiative of the Soviet cosmonaut Anatoly Berezovoy. The ceremony takes place at the International Center of the Roerichs, which is located in Moscow, in Maly Znamensky Lane. Over time, Earth Day began to be celebrated in other Russian cities.
