Various institutions in Qatar will switch off the lights and will go dark at 8.30pm on Saturday to mark the Earth Hour 2012 celebrations. It is the fourth consecutive year that Earth Hour celebrations are held in Qatar. Several organisations including Qatar University, Sheraton Doha, The Four Seasons, InterContinental, W Doha, Qatar Building Company, Pearl-Qatar, Movenpick, The One, HSBC and QTel are among the establishments participating this year. As lights of Khalifa Torch Tower and all over the Aspire Zone will be switched off at 8:30pm, Qatar’s youngsters will have the opportunity to come together at Aspire Park for a fun-filled hour of music, entertainment and a chance to get involved in efforts to protect the planet. This event is open to the public, and youth are encouraged to arrive before 7:30pm. At the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) also, lights will be switched off to commemorate the celebrations. This is the first time the centre is participating in the initiative since its opening last December. General manager of QNCC Adam Mather Brown said “QNCC conceived with a focus on sustainability, therefore our participation in Earth Hour is just an extension of our stand in preserving the environment and we are doing our part to support a noteworthy cause”. Sheraton Doha general manager Steven Kalczynski said “we encourage everyone in Doha to join our hotel and its associates to switch off the lights and celebrate their action for the planet with the world.” This year, Earth Hour will also extend to space for the first time where, aboard the International Space Station, astronaut and WWF ambassador Andre Kuipers will experience Earth Hour watching over the planet for the European Space Agency (ESA). The sight from space should be spectacular. Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, CEO of HSBC in Qatar said ‘as a global supporter of WWF’s Earth Hour, HSBC sees this campaign as an effective and symbolic way to raise awareness among our employees, customers and the wider public of the continued importance of consuming global resources responsibly. We understand the value of the world’s eco-systems to continued economic development and we want to play our part in protecting these resources.” Diego Pinzon, chief commercial officer of The Youth Company, who are providing volunteer and logistic support to the event said: “Earth Hour is a great initiative, which motivates people to change their habits to be more sustainable. By supporting Earth Hour, The Youth Company is eager to spread the awareness, especially among the younger generations that small actions can create big positive change.” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed that the headquarters of the United Nations will be switching off as he urged the rest of the world to take part,” Turning off our lights is a symbol of our commitment to sustainable energy for all, we need to fuel our future with clean, efficient and affordable energy.” Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, when more than 2.2mn individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Gulf Times

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