Thousands of youths in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak participated in activities to advocate energy conservation in this year’s Earth Hour on Saturday.

Environmental enthusiasts gathered at key locations in the places to celebrate one power-free hour which lasted from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, as part of the global 2016 Earth Hour campaign.

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement held annually by the World Wide Fund for Nature to encourage individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.

The movement began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and has since grown to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns worldwide.

Hanoi

Participants hold signs that read “Small Action, Big Impact” in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 19, 2016. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Thousands of youths in the Vietnamese capital partook in the event at the August Revolution Square in front of the Hanoi Opera House.

Streets leading to the venue were turned into walking streets, and the participants took part in music shows and chorused the slogan of this year’s Earth Hour “Small Action – Big Impact.”

At 8:30 pm sharp, lights on the major streets surrounding the area were simultaneously turned off, while performances on the stage went on in the dark.

Meanwhile, the country’s renowned singers and celebrities joined the campaign “Turn Off Lights, Turn On Ideas” at Indochina Plaza Hanoi in Cau Giay District to promote responsible energy consumption among the young generation.

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City celebrated the 8^th year of Earth Hour in Vietnam and the 10^th anniversary of Earth Hour with activities at the Youth Culture Center, attracting over 5,000 participants.

The event was co-hosted by Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon) newspaper, the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Saigon Union of Trading Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op), and Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment Co. Ltd.

A performance by participants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, March 19, 2016. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Aanchal Mehta, internal communications manager for Earth Hour teams around the globe, said the active participation of Vietnam in Earth Hour in the past years has not only raised people’s awareness of the issue, but it has also encouraged each individual to act for the environment.

Mehta expressed her hope that youths in Vietnam and around the world will pay much more attention to environmental issues and more joint actions will be taken by individuals, organizations, and communities to solve the problems.

The number of participants in these events is proof that Earth Hour has grown to be much more than just one hour of no electricity, Mehtan said.

Participants hold LED lights during Earth Hour in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, March 19, 2016. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dak Lak  

Youths in Buon Ma Thuot City, the capital of Dak Lak, responded to this year’s Earth Hour by cycling through streets in the downtown area, promoting the conservation of energy to protect the environment and battle climate change.

The event was joined by nearly 500 young people from schools, clubs, and other agencies in the city, many of whom have been active participants of Earth Hour for six years.

Members of the Green Journey Club participate in a cycling tour in Dak Lak, Vietnam, March 19, 2016. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!