An earth anthem

Abhay K.
CELEBRATION of Earth Hour on March 29, Equinox Earth Day on March 20 and of Earth Day on April 22 are some of the landmark events
that make us aware of our responsibilities towards our planet. Other events such as World Environment Day on June 5, World Forestry Day
on March 21, World Water Day on March 22 are celebrated with enthusiasm across the world by the schools, colleges, ministries, national
and international NGOs and the United Nations organizations. What these events need as a common thread to link them is an official Earth
Anthem - an anthem eulogizing our planet, its diversity, its beauty, an anthem that can give a sense of unity and purpose to multifarious
activities and programmes organized across the world to protect our planet.
I wrote the first draft of an Earth Anthem in 2008 and revised it several times between 2008-2013 until it was set to music by music
composer Sapan Ghimire in May 2013 and sung by the young Nepalese singer Shreya Sotang in all six official languages of the United Nations
as well as in Hindi and Nepali.
Earth Anthem
Our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl/the most beautiful planet in the universe/our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl/all the continents and the
oceans of the world/united we stand as flora and fauna/united we stand as species of one earth/black, brown, white, different colours/we are
humans, the earth is our home.
Our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl/the most beautiful planet in the universe/our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl/all the people and the
nations of the world/all for one and one for all,/united we unfurl the blue marble flag/black, brown, white, different colours/we are humans,
the earth is our home.
I hope UNESCO will take up this challenge in coming days and will give the world an official Earth Anthem, a song that everybody could sing
on occasions such as the Earth Day, Earth Hour, Earth Live, Earth Week, World Environment Day, World Forestry Day, World Water Day
etc.

The writer is an award winning poet-diplomat whose idea of an official Earth Anthem has been hailed by UNESCO as a
creative and inspiring thought that would contribute to bringing the world together.

Published: 12:00 am Tuesday, April 01, 2014