22 April - “İnternational Earth day”

“International Earth Day” originates from the late 19th century. At that period, George Morton, resident of the US state of Nebraska offered to celebrate the day of planting of greenery. April 22, 1882, was proclaimed as an official holiday in the state of Nebraska, and begun to be celebrated as “Tree Day”.

Based on the suggestion by the United States Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, the name of “Tree Day” was changed to “Earth Day” with the purpose to raise the attention to environmental issues, environmental pollution, and importance of nature. Since 1990, primary subject of “Earth Day” was dedicated to National Parks initially preserving the natural environment. The purpose was the attraction of public attention to the problems existing in especially protected nature areas, and rendering of real practical and financial assistance to the solution of those problems. It is now celebrated nearly in 150 countries inclusive of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On the eve of “Earth Day”, people participate at various events on ecology, plant trees, foster greeneries, and clean the dwelling areas from different wastes. Ecologists hold public actions directed at the improvement of environment, make speeches in mass media, and by this way call for people to be more active in the environmental protection. Like previous years, this year subbotniks are held together with the public in the capital and regions, greeneries are fostered, cleanness works are conduced, and round tables, meetings, seminars, workshops and press speeches on the environmental awareness raising are organized at educational institutions with school children and students on the occasion of the “International earth Day”. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources conducts various events, and carries out environmental publicity works on the occasion of April 22 – “International Earth Day”.