"Candle Night"--Winter Solstice 2003

The call to join the "Night by Candlelight" on the winter solstice on December 22, 2003 is spreading across Japan, following the successful summer solstice event in which five million people participated nationwide. The concept behind these events is to have people turn off the lights and enjoy some "quality" time. Side benefits include the reduction of electrical consumption and the opportunity to reflect on the environment and the world around us. During the summer solstice, many cities and corporations joined in, turning off lights and illumination in many buildings.

Key promoters of this event include Daichi O Mamoru Kai (an organic agriculture and food network), the Sloth Club (an NGO that promotes environmentally friendly culture and lifestyle), and Ms. Junko Edahiro, co-chief executive of Japan for Sustainability (JFS).

On the website (http://www.candle-night.org/english/), participants can see the up-to-the-minute "candle-scape" of Japan, which shows the participants' locations on a map of the country dotted with lights, and their messages, after they sign up for the event through the Internet or cell phone networks. The website also carries related events, messages from well-known personalities, and new information about the event as it is added day by day.

The promoters hope to expand the "Night by Candlelight" concept in 2004 and 2005 to the global scale, based on this winter solstice event.


- Candle Night—Summer Solstice 2003 (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/360-e

Posted: 2003/12/19 06:25:22 PM
Japanese version