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Egypt and Greece to Cast Their Vote for Planet Earth by Switching Off Lights

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At 8:30 pm on March 28^th in celebration of Earth Hour, lights will go out on some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world—the Acropolis of Athens and the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Giza, as modern-day Greeks and Egyptians join Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

Approximately 5,000 years after their completion, Egypt’s Great Pyramids will go dark for Earth Hour, a potent symbol of what can be achieved through collective action on March 28th when around 2,400 cities in 82 countries turn off their lights for Earth Hour.

Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, supports Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

“Climate Change is a growing international crisis no country can afford to overlook. Global warming negatively impacts the environment as well as the health and livelihoods of people worldwide. The interconnected challenges of our time demand immediate, cooperative action.” The First Lady said. “United together, we can and will make a difference. I am pleased to offer my support of Earth Hour and am encouraged by the World Wildlife Fund's sustainability initiatives. Earth Hour heightens awareness and brings hope to the preservation of our shared planet’s precious environment today and for generations to come.”

The lights will also go out for Earth Hour on another of the ancient world’s great monuments, the Acropolis in Athens, a poignant icon in the birthplace of modern democracy for the world’s first global vote between Earth and climate change. Completed in 5^th century BC, the Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments.

Many companies are participating in Earth Hour as well and sending a powerful message to the world about their support for action on climate change. Members of WWF’s Climate Savers program, which mobilizes companies to reduce CO2 emissions, have pledged their support. The Coca-Cola Company will turn off iconic signs around the world, including famous marquees in New York’s Times Square, near San Francisco’s Bay Bridge, in London’s Piccadilly Circus, Sydney’s King’s Cross and on the Las Vegas strip.

As a result of the CEO’s global call to action, the company, its bottlers and its employees will be participating in Earth Hour in more than 50 countries by darkening facilities and homes. At Tetra Pak, the CEO sent a note to all employees, customers and suppliers urging participation in Earth Hour and the company has committed to turn off non-essential lights and equipment in its offices and factories. And fellow Climate Savers members Hewlett Packard, Johnson & Johnson, and JohnsonDiversey will turn off their lights for Earth Hour. Other participating companies include Marriott Hotels, who are participating at all of their properties around the world, BDO Seidman, CB Richard Ellis, Esurance, Fairmont Hotels, Four Seasons, Ingram Companies, JPMorgan Chase, Mattel, McDonald’s, National Geographic Society, Ritz Carlton, Tishman Speyer and Wells Fargo.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

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