Earth Hour co-founder Ridley promotes global cause in Sri Lanka

Friday, 11 January 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam

Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Earth Hour Andy Ridley visited Sri Lanka to host the Earth Hour Symposium 2013, which was held earlier this week at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute. Uniting people to protect to protect the planet, Earth Hour 2013 is to take place precisely on 23 March at 8:30 p.m.

Coupling leisure with work, Ridley visited Sri Lanka for a holiday along with his wife and three-year-old son. Sri Lanka being his preferred getaway destination, Ridley was enthusiastic to explore historic Sigiriya on his very first visit to the country and it was a heritage he always wanted to explore according to Earth Hour Sri Lanka Country Manager Abdul Qadir Uvais.

Following his two-week holiday in Sri Lanka which ended on the 8 January, Ridley headed straight back to his head office in Singapore to work on the 60+ campaign of 2013.

Ridley brought to life the Earth Hour Campaign in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, while representing the WWF Australia along with partners Leo Brunett and Fairfax Media. As of 2012, the cause has been successfully advocated in more than 7,000 cities in 152 countries, including Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka officially joined the Earth Hour movement in 2010, when Environment Minister at the time Champika Ranawaka took the lead to support Earth Hour Sri Lanka and organised the first Earth Hour event in Sri Lanka at the Environment Ministry premises.

All Government institutions switched off non-essential lights during the Earth Hour, extending support. Private institutions such as Fonterra Lanka, Expolanka Group of Companies, Hilton Residencies, and Unilever to name a few also contributed to Earth Hour.

This year Sri Lanka plans to celebrate Earth Hour by commemorating a national Earth Hour event with the backing of the President of Sri Lanka, the Leader of the Opposition, and leaders of other political parties, along with religious leaders representing the main ethnicities.

Uvais told the Daily FT that team Earth Hour Sri Lanka wanted the involvement of corporate, private institutions, and the media, and if possible every citizen of the nation to commit to a positive action that would help reduce environmental impact and conserve the environment.

Pic by Samantha Perera