The public is invited to join the free Big Earth Hour Switch Off and screening event taking place on Saturday (March 25) at Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion at Expo City Dubai, which will host COP28 later this year.

Earth Hour, which is about switching off the lights for an hour, is a global campaign organised by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to unite people in more than 190 countries for environmental protection and climate action.

Since its launch in 2007 by WWF International, Earth Hour has shone the global spotlight on the twin issues of nature loss and climate change. Iconic buildings in the UAE such as the Burj Khalifa and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque have joined global landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye and the Colosseum in switching off their lights and inspiring millions around the world to push for change.

In the UAE, the annual initiative is led by Emirates Nature-WWF, with strong support from key partners. Switching off the lights will be at 8.30pm but the event at Expo City Dubai will start at 8:15pm.

“Taking place during the Year of Sustainability and COP28, this year’s campaign will serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of our planet, the need to protect it, and how little time we have to do so,” Emirates Nature-WWF said in a statement.

The event will introduce the importance of Earth Hour as well as Emirates Nature-WWF’s 22-year legacy of environmental conservation in the UAE. This will be followed by a symbolic switch off and a screening of natural historian David Attenborough’s documentary “A Life on Our Planet,” a unique history of the impact of humanity on nature.

Volunteers needed

A special announcement will also be made at the Big Earth Hour event, as Emirates Nature-WWF introduces a new educational mini-series designed to encourage volunteering in the lead-up to the COP28 climate conference, which will be held in UAE at the end of 2023.

Marjan Faraidooni, chief of Education and Culture at Expo City Dubai, said: “The potential for positive impact is even greater when we work together, and by joining forces with Emirates Nature-WWF for this celebration of Earth Hour, we are confident that we will inspire further action for the protection and preservation of our planet.”

Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director general of Emirates Nature-WWF, added: “Earth Hour shines the spotlight on real issues that affect us all, and inspires people to do something that contributes to a nature-positive world. Every action count; with millions of actions adding up to real, transformative impact for nature.”

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