Gone for 60 seconds: Expo 2020 embraces Earth Hour

Gone for 60 seconds: Expo 2020 embraces Earth Hour

Orchestrated with the help of a Dubai Police marching band, more than 60 pavilions at Expo 2020 sequentially turned off their lights for 60 seconds over the course of Earth Hour on Saturday night, creating a stunning domino light effect and attracting thousands of spectators. The “Switch Off Parade” was organized by Emirates Nature and WWF International to raise awareness of climate change and the need to care for our planet. Cities around the world powered down their nonessential lights for an hour on March 26, as is custom since the Earth Hour movement began in 2007. As part of this year’s campaign in the UAE, with switching off all lighting at the expo not feasible for health and safety reasons, Emirates Nature and WWF International organized the special public event as an awareness-raising solution. Starting at Peru at 8.30 p.m. and terminating outside the UK an hour later, each of the participating pavilions — namely the Saudi Pavilion, Slovenia Pavilion and Terra District — switched off its electricity for one minute as the marching band passed. “It is apt to have carried out this year’s event at Expo 2020 as it embodies the UAE’s vision of being at the