Every year since 22 April 1970 simultaneously in 192 countries is celebrated the International Day of Earth. The aim of this day is to inform and energize populations so they will act to secure a healthy future for themselves and their children.

EDEN Center (Environmental Center for Development Education and Networking) is a member of Earth Day Network and aims to raise the awareness of people for a sustainable development. In this frame EDEN Center in cooperation with Municipality of Tirana, American Embassy, Austrian Embassy and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Administration of Waters, for the eighth consecutive year has celebrated the International Earth Day.

This year the event took place on 22 April 2012, in "Murat Toptani" Street (pedestrian area) Tirana. The opening began with the welcoming words of the Mayor of Tirana Mr. Lulzim Basha, of the American Ambassador Mr. Alexander Arvizu, of the Austrian Ambassador Mr.Florian Rauning, of the Vice Minister of Environment Mr. Taulant Bino and of the Director of EDEN Center Ms. Ermelinda Mahmutaj. "I would like to thank all the participants in the International Day of Earth and I invite citizens to take part in environmental awareness activities. Let this day be a motivation for citizen reaction to protect the Earth" - said Ms. Ermelinda Mahmutaj, Director of EDEN Center.

The message transmitted to citizens this year was "Mobilize the Earth - Citizens action through art". It puts in the center of attention the human being as the moving lever of the planet and in this context were based all the activities that were held on Sunday morning. The activity continued later with two young musical groups "Eric and the Band" and "Black Rose" followed by a short theatrical play prepared by the students of the 9th year school "Albanët" in Tirana. In the tents that were set along the pedestrian area, were positioned the recycling companies, the environmental organization operating in Albania and BIO businesses which presented in environmental way their activities. Students of the 9th year school "Eurovizion.Is" in Tirana, had prepared clothes with recycled materials while the students of the 9th year "Penellop Pipiro" school in Fier, demonstrated the use of teaching materials that facilitate the implementation of the open classes in nature.
A special place was dedicated to paintings prepared from the students of Artistic Lyceum "Jordan Misja" in Tirana and to photos taken by citizens through which they sent a message to stakeholders for environmental problems.

Citizens had the opportunity to transmit messages for a sustainable development not only through the photos, but also to write their opinions and then put this message in a planet shaped box which was prepared by EDEN's volunteers. EDEN center volunteers and citizens painted cotton bags to send the message for the reduction of plastic bags.

Earth Day grows each year and its rich activities aim to give citizens a voice in issues related with environment .

Lira Hakani, EDEN Center