India Press Releases

U.S. Consulate Celebrates Earth Day 2007 With Children’s Art Work Competition

Earth Day is an annual celebration of the environment and a time to assess the work still needed to protect the natural gifts of our planet.  Earth Day is an occasion to draw attention to current local and global environmental problems and to discuss solutions. U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide take the opportunity on Earth Day to raise environmental awareness and highlight joint environmental initiatives. 

This Earth Day the U.S. Department of State is holding an international art competition for school children between 10-15 years of age based on the theme, “What is important to you about our environment?”  The Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Consulate in Chennai sent letters to schools across South India inviting students to participate in this competition.  The U.S. Consulate received an overwhelming response to this call despite it being annual exam season -- fifteen schools sent in 47 beautiful paintings.  These paintings are being displayed in the Consulate building for all staff members and visitors to enjoy.  Renowned Indian painter and Art Director Mr. Thota Tharani, Consul General David Hopper, Consul for Public Affairs Frederick Kaplan, and Cultural Affairs Officer Ragini Gupta served as judges of the South India competition and selected six semi-finalists to proceed to a national competition in Delhi.  The judges selected the semi-finalists on the basis of the artistic merit and how well they expressed the theme of the competition. During the national competition in Delhi, Master Ashwin’s (PSBBSS, T. Nagar, Chennai) painting was selected and has been sent to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., for final selections in the 12-13 year age category.

On April 22, 1970 more than 20 million people across the United States celebrated the first Earth Day.  It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire.  The citizens and the government of the United States decided to fight back. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organization, and citizens what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.  By 1990, Earth Day had become an international event, with more than 200 million people in 141 countries participating.  Today, Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. To learn more about Earth Day, its history, origin and current activities of the U.S. Government, please long on to the websites http://www.epa.gov/earthday and http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Apr/11-390328.html

PAS: 04/20/09