At 8.30 pm on March 28, 2009, SGM members joined millions of people in over 2,000 cities around the world, to turn out their lights for one hour in support of “Earth Hour,” a global symbolic gesture to demonstrate the people’s concern about climate change. The event sent a clear message to world leaders – that they must make concerted efforts to combat the problem without delay.

SGM Culture Centre, Cheras

In support of the initiative, all SGM culture centres turned out their lights for one hour on that Saturday evening. At SGM Culture Centre, Cheras, the usually illuminated complex turned pitch dark at 8.30 pm. A few hundred youth division members who were there for their cultural group practises that evening also observed the Earth Hour. Some groups took the opportunity to hold group dialogues among their members, some organised daimoku sessions, and others continued their practice in the dark, illuminated just by LED lights from their mobile phones. At home, thousands of SGM members throughout the country also turned out their lights during the hour of the campaign.

Petronas Twin Towers

SGI President Ikeda who has highlighted environmental issues in several of his annual peace proposals, once said, “As science advances, it is only natural that we should become involved in many different endeavours to preserve the environment. Each of us, as individuals, must make an effort — not to be selfish, and to save energy, for example. We must work to take better care of our environment.” The Earth Hour provided an opportunity for SGM members to join fellow Earth citizens in pledging to do their part to take care of the environment.

Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square)

Earth Hour is sponsored by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and began in 2007 from just one city. Last year, more than 50 million in 371 cities around the world participated. This year, the campaign grew to more than 2,140 cities. In Malaysia, the Petronas Twin Towers, Dataran Merdeka, KL Tower and Putrajaya were amongst the famous Malaysian icons that took part in the Earth Hour. TV station 8TV also stopped its transmission during that one hour.