Lights Off, Public Diplomacy On

"The world said yes to climate change, now governments must follow"

--World Wildlife Fund -- 

The success of Earth Hour 2009 serves as an example of the power of public diplomacy to mobilize global publics around an issue that transcends national borders. The initiative seeked to raise awareness about the dangers of global warming by asking individuals around the world to turn off the lights for an hour at 8:30 p.m. 

From New Zealand, around to the Pacific, people across time zones made a public statement about a global issue from their homes. They were joined by local governments and organizations which turned off the lights of landmakrs and monuments, from the Great Pyramids of Egypt to the Empire State Building. 

An initiative that based its success largely on the ability to connect publics throughout the globe, owes much of that success to its effective use of new media. With a campaign in which users could post photos on Flickr, receive updates through Twitter, friend each other on Facebook, or watch videos on YouTube, the mobilization of audiences that are defined not by nationality, but rather by a common interest, could have not been possible without an strategic use of new technologies. 

Hopefully, the impact of this symbolic gesture reaches Copenhagen in time for the climate change negotiations in December.