For Tetiana Shevchuk, one of 350.org organisers and leaders of the youth climate movement in Ukraine, the finale of this year's Eurovision Song Contest was a truly memorable event. And not just because Tetiana was meeting organisers of the past year's 10/10/10 Global Work Party in Baku, Azerbaijan. But also because on that night she could witness in person all the joy and festivities spontaneously organised as the nation celebrated its singer's victory in Europe's most prestigious music competition.
In just one week from now our friends from the youth public union IRELI plan to organise their Moving Planet event on a similarly big scale. They are going to get the attention of politicians and media — not just in their own country, but, thanks to power of simultaneous actions all over the world, on the global scale.
For these young people this event comes as an opportunity to raise public awareness on the issue of environmental protection and climate change. In the capital city of Azerbaijan, Baku, at the very eastern corner of Europe, they are trying to prepare a day that will be "rich in happiness", according to their plan. They are aiming at hosting the year's biggest environmental event in their country — much like the Eurovision song contest was the biggest cultural happening in Azerbaijan a few months ago.
Every time they organise an event like this, they manage to mobilise a significant number of people around the issue of climate change and use the opportunity to raise public consciousness on environmental issues in general.
There spirit is high among the IRELI activists these days. Everyone is full with enthusiasm a week before the event. It is a very special feeling to know that very soon they will organise the greatest demonstration ever conducted in Azerbaijan. Our friends from IRELI emailed us today to share their excitement. They wrote: “On behalf of Azerbaijani youth we say: Azerbaijan is for 350! Let’s move the Planet on 24 September!!!”