Foundation Rings Peace Bell on Earth Day

Thursday, March 20, 1997 was celebrated at the United Nations with the annual Peace Bell Ceremony, marking Earth Day International on the March Equinox. Participants from Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Europe and North America were among the guest speakers. The highlight of the ceremony was the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Razali Ismail, ringing the Peace Bell on the Equinox at 8:55 a.m. (EST). This year, a unique live webcast of the event allowed Internet users to simultaneously join the ceremony worldwide. This was the first ever live Webcast from the UN and was (and is) accessible at http://www.internetbroadcast.com. Earth Day 1997 Chairman Kevin Sanders opened the morning program and hosted the proceedings for the Earth Society Foundation, as he has many times in the past.

Nina Sibal of UNESCO (co-sponsor of the event) welcomed participants to the UN, and spoke on this year's theme, "A Culture of Peace". She noted that the original plans for the first Earth Day were announced at a UNESCO conference on "Man and the Biosphere" in October of 1969. In the years since, we have witnessed a further deterioration of the ability of the natural systems to handle humanity's increasing pressures. Sustainable practices and a healing of ravaged biosystems will be necessary for the future. Earth Day is a symbolic day to reflect on our actions and their effect on our home.

Earth Day Founder, John McConnell, has been clear on his message over the years, "Festivals on the March Equinox go back to Stonehenge, Persia, the Mayans and early Chinese history. This is Nature's day, when light and darkness (day and night) are of equal length worldwide. Earth Day is the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and of Fall in the Southern Hemisphere. When the United Nations Peace Bell rings at the moment of the Equinox on Earth Day, it is Earth Day all over the world."

The emphasis of President Ismail's message was that our thoughts, words and actions must impact on what the UN, its purposes and principles, really mean to the world outside the UN. His strong point was that the UN's role in matters of international peace and security can be achieved without nuclear weapons and a global arms race. "How can we promote global economical and social development and social justice if we can continue to prioritize weapons of war and death over poverty eradication, global health needs, education and economic growth?" he asked. "A quarter of the world's population goes to bed hungry every night and over a billion people continue to live in abject poverty. Should we not look for ways to help instead of spending billions of dollars on tools that kill and cause tremendous suffering...The Five Permanent Members of the Security Council are the nuclear weapon States, and remain the biggest manufacturers and merchants of the arms trade."

Decrying the conspiratorial silence in the midst of such waste of our resources and the horror of nuclear pollution that threatens our environment, he reiterated, "It takes vision, perseverance and the courage of one's convictions that the interdependence within the natural world of all living things now and for the future generations requires all of us as individuals, diplomats, members of the press, governments, businesses, and members of civil society to think and act with responsibility." While President Ismail reminded participants of the historic decision of the most International Court of Justice, (which declared the use of nuclear weapons is illegal in almost every conceivable circumstance and Member States must in good faith start dismantling nuclear weapons), this opens the opportunity for a campaign in the UN for the entire stockpile of these deadly weapons of mass destruction to be destroyed within a specific timeframe, by using the moral authority of international law as a basis.

This issue served as a natural lead-in for the presentation of the annual Earth Day International Environmental Awards which were presented to Dr. Helen Caldicott, an environmental activist from Australia, and Abolition 2000 for their work on the nuclear disarmament issue. Alice Slater of the Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) and Alyn Ware of the Lawyer's Committee on Nuclear Policy accepted the Awards.

Michael Geoghegan, Chairman of the Board of the Earth Society Foundation, hosted the final portion of the program and the Awards ceremony. The third recipient of the Earth Day Award was 94 year old journalist David Horwitz, who for over 50 years, has been at the UN producing a daily column for the National Jewish Press that is syndicated to many newspapers around the world. He spoke of the meaning of peace and the Peace Bell (made from coins collected from children around the world), a gift from the people of Japan, and the marble that the Bell stands on, a gift from Israel.

Dr. Anitra Thorhaug, an oceanographer with the University of Miami, in Florida, was on hand to receive the fourth Earth Day award. Dr. Thorhaug, known as "the sea grass lady", is a marine biologist who has worked in over 40 countries to help repair marine ecosystems and estuaries. She was one of the consultants called in by Kuwait after the 1991 Gulf War, utilizing her expertise as to the best way to handle the resulting marine environmental damage.

This year two corporate awards were also presented at the Peace Bell ceremony, in an effort to highlight corporations who are clearly using their best efforts to promote sustainable practices and to show some of the solutions that are proving effective. Healthy Properties, a New York-based company, was selected for its efforts to promote green buildings, focusing on designs that are environmentally conscious, hi-tech, energy efficient, economically viable and sustainable. This company is working with UNEP (the United Nations Environmental Program) to redesign and renovate office space and help foster the idea of good environmental housekeeping at the UN. Harvey Russack, Senior Vice President, accepted the award for Healthy Properties and continues to work closely with the task force completing this project as part of UNEP's 25th anniversary celebration.

Aveda Corporation, represented by Jessica Barlow, received the other award given at the 1997 ceremony. Based in Minnesota, this organization is a global leader in the manufacture of environmental lifestyle products and is committed to offer the highest quality, healthy, consumer products created from organically grown plants and other renewable sources for wellness. Aveda was the first corporation to sign the CERES Principles (Corporations for Environmentally Responsible Economics) in 1989, the most comprehensive environmental guidelines ever developed for businesses. Known for its generous donor program, Aveda also played a leadership role at the Global Forum Conference held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in 1992, and has been active in sponsoring conferences on implementing the Earth Summit's Agenda 21 Action Plan for the 21st Century.

A full day of activities rounded off the Earth Day celebration at the United Nations. Following the Peace Bell ceremony, individuals gathered at the UN Cafeteria (overlooking East River) to network and meet the Award recipients personally over an informal luncheon. Cosmonaut Anatoly Berezevoi, the man who has spent the most time in outer space was also as honored guest, along with Earth Day Founder John McConnell, and environmental journalist Richard Whiteford, from Pennsylvania. Many NGO groups were represented at the gathering, and a special meditation was held during the lunch hour. A film festival extravaganza sponsored by the Knowledge Recovery Foundation was held from Noon to 10 p.m. in the UN ECOSOC Chamber and a screening of "The People vs. The Bomb: Judgment in The Hague" was presented in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium prior to the regularly scheduled NGO Thursday morning briefing. The diverse films showed a variety of perspectives and included works from such countries as Columbia, India, Brazil, Hungary, El Salvador and France. Some of the topics covered included startling findings about air pollution in Budapest, exploration of biodiversity of the animal kingdom, the impact of the outside world on an indigenous people in Brazil, and Indian women's cultural  knowledge pitted against the bioresource design of multinational agribusiness.

For those who did not get a chance to see the ceremony live, check out http://www.internetbroadcast.com to view video of the ceremony. A five year Countdown to Earth Day 2001 is in place with plans underway for next year's celebration of Earth Day at the UN, where the theme will be "1998 - International Year of the Oceans" and the Equinox occurring on Friday, March 20, 1998 at 2:55 p.m. (EST) 19:55 GMT.

Dr. Margaret Mead joined John McConnell in 1976 in establishing the Earth Society Foundation to foster worldwide participation of Earth Day on the March 20-21 Equinox and the peaceful care of Earth. "The selection of the March Equinox makes planetary observance of a shared event possible," she said, "and a flag which shows the Earth as seen from space is appropriate." The Earth Flag is the symbol of the Earth Society Foundation and shows the Earth on a dark blue background. Dr. Mead carried one with her wherever she went and was joined by 22 Nobel Laureates in supporting Earth Day.

Dr. Mead stressed the importance of this Holiday for Earth, "Earth Day celebrates the interdependence within the natural world of all living things, humanity's utter dependence upon Earth -- our only home-- and in turn the vulnerability of this Earth of ours to the ravages of irresponsible technological exploitation. It celebrates our long past in which we have learned so much of the ways of the universe and our long future, if only we apply what we know responsibly and wisely. It celebrates the importance of the air and the oceans to life and to peace. On the blue and white of the picture Earth, the harsh impersonal structures of world politics disappear, there are no zones of influence, political satellites, international blocs, only people who live in lands, on land, that they cherish."

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Margaret Mead
(quote from origination of Earth Day in 1969)