Earth anthem

The Earth seen from Apollo 17

An Earth anthem is a celebratory song or a musical composition that eulogizes, extols or exalts planet Earth and its inhabitants, including the flora and fauna.

History

On the request of the United Nations Secretary General a Hymn to the UN was performed on the occasion of its 26th anniversary, on October 24, 1971, by Pablo Casals, the lyrics to which were penned by the poet W.H. Auden.[1][2] The then UN Secretary General U Thant had expressed his hope that this hymn would become the de facto UN anthem over the years but it did not.

Songs about Earth

There are a number of songs about the planet which could be regarded as anthems, reflecting rising planetary consciousness among people across the world. One is "World Anthem" by the Mindshare Institute and Foundation.[3][4] Other songs on the same theme include "Earth Anthem" by The Turtles, "Earth Anthem" by Dan Fogelberg,[5] "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)" by Neil Young, "Earth Song" by Michael Jackson,[6] "Earth Hour Anthem" by Andrew Huang and "Earth Anthem" by Abhay Kumar.[7][8] The "Earth Day Anthem" lyrics by William Wallace (and sometimes the original lyrics by Barbara George) is widely sung to the tune of "ode to Joy' by Ludwig van Beethoven, to celebrate Earth Day.[9][10][11][12]

Call for an Official Earth Anthem

Call for an official Earth Anthem was made by the Permanent Delegation of India in Paris to UNESCO in January 2014.[13]

See also

References

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