The campaign was kicked of in Vietnam on February 4, aiming to have the participation of at least 20 provinces and cities.

Conductor Chau Anh (photo) and students of the Sol Art Centre will perform at the Earth Hour Vietnam programme on March 27.

A representative of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the campaign organizer, said that the Earth Hour 2010 calls for governments, enterprises and each individual to take action to ensure a sustainable future.

In Vietnam, the campaign will be expanded to at least 20 provinces and cities, compared to only six of last year. The biggest event will take place in HCM City and will be attended by a number of stars acting as the campaigns ambassadors.

Ambassadors of goodwill will go to schools to deliver the campaign’s messages and organize competitions on climate change themese.

“The Earth Hour 2010 is not simply turning off the light for one hour (8.30-9.30pm, March 27). The WWF wants to call on Vietnamese people to take part in a symbolic action to show their commitment to the earth. The goal of Earth Hour is raising awareness of climate change by calling people to participate in turning off the light,” said WWF Vietnam’s director Tran Minh Hien.

Hien said that as one of the five countries that are predicted to be affected most fiercely by climate change, Vietnam needs to take action and commit to having a strong voice in the international arena in reducing greenhouse gas to achieve the goal of slowing the increase of the earth’s temperature.

This year the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) will join the campaign as a sponsor and an ambassador of goodwill.

The Earth Hour is a WWF Global initiative, which started in Sydney, Australia and became a global campaign in 2007. Last year it attracted over 1 billion people in over 4000 cities and towns in 88 countries.

The campaign came to Vietnam last year, participated by Hanoi, HCM City, Can Tho, Hoi An, Hue city and Khanh Hoa. During the “Earth Hour 2009” on March 28, 2009, the power output consumed reduced by 140,000 kWh, equivalent to 133 million dong in comparison with the same hour of the previous week, the National Electricity Moderating Centre reported.

PV