September 21st, 2009 @ kadraoui
BAHRAIN’S residents are being invited to give “a wake up call” to world leaders for further action on climate change. They are being urged to attend a gathering today at Bahrain City Centre at 4.30pm. Participants will all hold their phones in the air at a specific time and come together to be photographed and filmed as they join other groups around the globe.
The picture and clip will be sent to world leaders by a US-based global network of environmental activists spearheading the campaign. More than 1,000 similar events will be held in more than 88 countries to deliver a resounding “wake-up call” ahead of a key meeting on climate change being held in New York tomorrow. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is holding the one-day summit, where US President Barack Obama and China’s President Hu Jintao will be among the speakers.
Leaders of the Group 20 will also meet in Pittsburgh from Thursday to discuss ways to finance the fight against climate change among other issues. Experts say a UN climate pact in Copenhagen in December risks failure unless world leaders revive boggeddown negotiations this week. The global initiative is spearheaded by New York-based e n v i r o n m e n t a l activist group Avaaz (meaning voice in various Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European languages) and organized here by Bahrain member Anisa Asaad. Ms Asaad encourages everyone to join the campaign, which she says will only last a few minutes, but will hopefully have a significant impact on world leaders.
“The idea of a global climate wake-up call is snowballing into a massive mobilisation of millions who want leaders to do more to stop runaway climate change,” she said.
“Bahrain’s residents are taking part to help show the huge level of public concern that climate talks move far and fast, enough to deliver a deal that will avert climate catastrophe and unleash a green economy.
“We will send pictures and a video to Avaaz, who will then forward all the clips from around the world to leaders at the climate change meeting in New York.” As an early childhood and family educator, Ms Asaad believes it is important to teach children about the principles of environmental protection. “The environment is a big issue for Bahrain and we must raise awareness about how important it is and pass this onto our children. We need to be environmentally aware,” she said. “If we continue to raise children who are not informed, future generations will really suffer.” Abroad coalition of major environmental and antipoverty organisations as well as faith, civic and youth networks – called the TCKTCKTCK campaign for the ticking- clock urgency of climate change – is backing the effort.
Talks
Film and photographs from the day’s event will be compiled and shown to world leaders as well as at the US premiere of climate film Age of Stupid, to be shown in more than 400 cinemas simultaneously. Audiences will also take part in calling their government to get climate talks on track and deliver a “fair, ambitious and binding” new climate treaty.
For more information visit www.avaaz.org/en/tcktcktck_ map.
becky@gdn.com.bh
Tags: Gulf Daily News, Press, WorlWide Action