Earth Hour around the World

This Saturday March 27 at 8:30pm, hundreds of millions of people from more than 120 countries and regions across every continent will come together for Earth Hour in a moment of unprecedented global unity to show the way forward on climate change.

New Zealand’s Chatham Islands will be the first territory to start Earth Hour with the last country to take part being the South Pacific island of Samoa 24 ¾ hours later.

From the low-lying island nations of the South Pacific to the west coast of the Americas, individuals, businesses and governments will unite for the greatest community event ever witnessed as Earth Hour traverses the globe.

As Australians will gather in in public places, parks and at home over candlelight dinners thousands will gather in public spaces around the world for official Earth Hour ceremonies to switch the lights off some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, including the Forbidden City in Beijing, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Bosphorous Bridge in Istanbul and India Gate in Delhi.

Tje lights will go down at Malta’s walled city of Medina, South Korea’s Seoul Fortress, the Red Fort in Delhi, Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg Norwich City Castle in England, Hiroshima Castle in Japan.

The mighty Victoria Falls- the largest waterfall in the world - will play backdrop for hundreds of Zimbabwean children holding a candle-lit picnic at Victoria Falls during Earth Hour.

The small town of Spitsbergen between Norway and the North Pole will be defying potential polar bear attacks in the dark and subzero temperatures and switching off their lights for Earth Hour!

The lights will go out during Earth Hour for the first time in Nepal, Tanzania, Kosovo and Madagascar among others. Click here to see the full range of supporters around the world.

In South Africa there will be an Earth Hour football game for disadvantaged kids on the beach in Cape Town using a luminous ball – a good warm up for the World Cup.

This year Earth Hour will be taking place in three of the world most northern cities Murmansk (Russia), Hammerfest (Norway) and Nuuk (Greenland) and three of the world’s most southern cities Hobart (Australia) Ushuaia (Argentina) and Queenstown.

More highlights

Bulgarians will come together for a candle-lit walk through the city streets in the capital of Sofia
A Canadian street party will see Earth Hour wishing trees collecting individual wishes for the planet
Galapagos island of Santa Cruz, will have streetlights replaced with candles for a special movie event
Earth Hour lantern parades will wind through the streets of Helsinki and Dubai
In Budapest by the Danube, Hungarians will celebrate Earth Hour with congo drums and fire Kenyans will drum to their own beat at an Earth Hour concert led by afro-fusion artist Achien'g Abura
Romans will be given a lesson in astronomy at a ‘lights out’ event in front of the famous Trevi Fountain
In Rotorua, New Zealand, there’ll be a feast of ‘mystery’ eats in the streets… by candlelight, of course
Dublin streets will fill with music in typical Irish fashion with an Earth Hour ‘Trad night by candlelight
‘Running of the Spaniards’ in Madrid will see thousands race to switch the lights off a public monument

With the global support of the world’s most recognised corporate names, including Coca Cola, Allianz, PricewaterhouseCoopers, HSBC, IKEA, Canon, Hilton and McDonalds and hundreds of corporations who have collectively pledged to switch off the lights at tens of thousands of offices worldwide, central business districts across the planet will experience unprecedented darkness in the most compelling display of what is possible through united action.

Earth Hour 2010 is set to be an historic moment in the climate landscape; a moment of unbridled hope and positive community action; a moment of unparalleled unity that will show the world what can be done.