Tis the season to be an ambassador

Film actor Reema is the latest addition to the increasingly endless list of spokesmen for a ‘cause'.

LAHORE:

With cricket fever mounting with every passing match of the World Cup, activities in the entertainment industry are continuing to decrease and many actors are making off-the-set appearances.

For many actors it seems, this is the season of becoming goodwill ambassadors and film star Reema Khan is topping the list. Recently, Reema became the goodwill ambassador of Lahore Zoo and adopted two baby deer; last night she inaugurated Earth Hour 2011 with WWF-Pakistan’s Green Schools as Pakistan’s Earth Hour Ambassador.

Dressed in an Earth Hour t-shirt Reema lit a candle with the school children and WWF officials to show her commitment to reducing her carbon footprint by conserving energy.

Speaking to The Express Tribune about becoming a goodwill ambassador for two organisations in a short span of time Reema said: “When you become a spokesperson for a cause, it puts immense responsibility on your shoulders and people look towards you with certain expectations. I am not doing this just for the sake of the title; I’m doing this  for the betterment of to society”.

‘Earth Hour’ started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses switched lights off for an hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later, ‘Earth Hour’ became a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating in it. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making ‘Earth Hour’ 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

On March 27, ‘Earth Hour’ 2010 became the biggest ‘Earth Hour’ ever. A record 128 countries and territories, including Pakistan, joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.

Earth Hour 2011 will take place on March 26 at 8.30PM. Pakistan’s other Earth Hour Ambassadors include Wasim Akram, Iman Ali, Abrar-ul-Haq, Ateeqa Odho and Vaneeza Ahmed Ali.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2011.