News Release: 9-7-00
Gorbachev's Signature Completes Earth Day Proclamation
World Forum in New York
In a meeting with John McConnell, 85 year old founder of
Earth Day, President Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Proclamation which initiated
the worldwide celebration on March 21, 1970. This event takes place each
year at the United Nations New York.
In the global Earth Day Proclamation, the name of Gorbachev is joined by United
Nations Secretary General U Thant, Anthropologist Margaret Mead, Astronaut
Buzz Aldrin, Yasir Arafat and Yehudi Menuhin.
This is the highlight of a thirty year effort by Mr. McConnell for a worldview
that will promote "peace, justice and the care of Earth.
See the Earth Day Proclamation: http://www.wowzone.com/proclamn.htm
Carmen Colombo: 514/328-0935
Lee Lawrence: 301/229-1187
John McConnell: 718/366-6963
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Earth Day Questions answered by John McConnell
Question 1: You are the one who first came up with the idea and name for
Earth Day. Could you tell us what inspired you, and what that first Earth Day
(March 20, 1970) in San Francisco was like?
Answer: I have had a sense of mission since my early youth. The
way I thought and the experiences I had all led, step by step, to my vision of
Earth Day a global holiday for the whole planet.
My father, who was an evangelist, made me think about why we are here and where
are we going? It seems to me my whole life has been a search to learn what
life is all about. I sought help from scientists and scholars and read
great books to find answers.
In 1939 a chemist and I formed a research laboratory in Los Angeles. His
name was Albert Nobell. George Pepperdine funded our effort. Our
work there brought me in touch with scientists at Cal Tech and resulted in
dialogue with them about Space exploration and the search for peaceful uses of
atomic energy. In 1958 I attended the Atoms for Peace Conference in Geneva
where my proposal for a visible Star of Hope Satellite attracted attention
and support.
We ended the 30 day period of mourning for President Kennedy on December 22,
1963 with a global "Minute for Peace." My proposal for this
resulted in global front page publicity and broadcast of the minute I produced
and was carried by radio and TV networks. In 1965 United Nations
Secretary-General U Thant provided a global Minute for Peace which was followed
by a Minute for Peace series I produced.
It was while working on Minute for Peace that I came up with the idea of Earth
Day. Holidays around the world brought people together for partisan
purposes. Why not a great global holiday in support of our common desire
for "peace, justice and the care of Earth"?
San Francisco
In 1969 I persuaded the city of San Francisco, who had supported Minute for
Peace, to proclaim March 21, 1970 as Earth Day. The support that followed
included participation by business, schools, churches, the Red Cross, Chamber of
Commerce and a proclamation from the Mayor. Other cities joined in
observing the day. The University of California in Berkeley and at Davis
had outstanding participation. Streets were closed and there was music,
speeches and booths with environmental solutions. In Davis the campus had
a Street of Spring, Street of Crafts, Street of Mysteries and there was a 12
hour Vigil of Creation. In San Francisco at Golden Gate Park they had a
Tree Planting Ceremony and their nursery provided plants which the Red Cross
station wagons took to schools throughout the area for children to plant.
Earth Day was featured in the papers and on radio and TV.
Question 2: Soon after that, you moved to the
East Coast and started efforts to make Earth Day an International Holiday.
Margaret Mead and others worked with you and supported your efforts. Could you
describe what the scene was like at that time, in New York, and all the
people involved with you back then?
Answer: Our big Earth Day in New York was the next year. The 1971
Earth Day in New York had the backing of United Nations Secretary General U
Thant. He felt Earth Day could become a vital global holiday that would
benefit people and planet. My conversations with Margaret Mead and United
Nations Ambassadors in 1970 resulted in participation worldwide. The
International Earth Day Proclamation I had written after San Francisco was
signed by U Thant and other world leaders. Issued as a United Nations
Release it helped bring global attention.
The 1971 Earth Day in New York brought over 50,000 people to Central Park and
the Ringing of the United Nations Peace Bell at the moment Spring began obtained
global attention.
In 1972 the United Nations celebration of Earth Day included the first 12 hour
special on national television. The centerpiece of this remarkable event
was the ringing of the Peace Bell by Secretary General Waldheim and included
panels of world experts from around the world discussing the growing
environmental crisis and what should be done. This was interspersed with
music which included Pete Seeger and Odeta.
Earth Day observance has continued each year at the United Nations. It
played a key role in conflict resolution and efforts for the care of Earth.
See Earth Day: Past, Present,
Future
Please note: The Earth Day Proclamation with Mikhail Gorbachev's signature will be posted soon. The link above takes you to the most updated version, before today, September 7, 2000.