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This article was first published 10 years ago

When the world switched off lights for an hour

March 30, 2014 17:50 IST

Image: A combination picture shows the Gateway of India monument after (top) and during Earth Hour in Mumbai
Photographs: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters

Lights went off in thousands of cities and towns across the world on Saturday for the annual Earth Hour campaign, aiming to raise money via Internet for local environmental projects.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, but the idea quickly spread around the world and hundreds of millions of people are estimated to have turned their lights off for the event this year.

The event is organised every year on the last Saturday of March.

India joined the Earth Hour movement in 2009 when "5 million Indians across 56 cities showed their support by switching off non-essential lights and saving approximately 1,000 MW of power in one hour," according to the Earth Hour India's website.

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters

A combination picture shows the Howrah Bridge before (bottom) and during Earth Hour in Kolkata

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Vijay Mathur/Reuters

A combination picture shows the India Gate before (bottom) and during Earth Hour in New Delhi

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Vijay Mathur/Reuters

A combination picture shows Rashtrapati Bhavan before (bottom) and during Earth Hour in New Delhi

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A combination photo shows people walking past the skyscrapers Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower (L-R) before (top) and during Earth Hour at the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters

A combination photo shows the State Hermitage Museum after (top) and during Earth Hour in St Petersburg, Russia

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters

A combination photo shows Saint Isaac's Cathedral after (top) and during Earth Hour in St Petersburg, Russia

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Artur Bainozarov/Reuters

A combination picture shows the Kremlin before (top) and during Earth Hour in Moscow

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

A combination picture shows Times Square before (top) and during Earth Hour in New York 

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Jon Nazca/Reuters

A combination photo shows the "Puente Nuevo" (New Bridge) in the day (top), at night (C) and during Earth Hour in Ronda, near Malaga, southern Spain. The Puente Nuevo is 120 metres (390 feet) high and the gorge of the river divides the city of Ronda.

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Ina Fassbender/Reuters

The UNESCO World Heritage Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern railway bridge along the river Rhine in Germany, are seen during and before (top) Earth Hour in this combination picture

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

A combination picture shows the Sony Centre at the Potsdamer Square before and during (bottom) Earth Hour in Berlin

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Combination picture shows the Old Bridge before (top) and during Earth Hour in Mostar. The 16th-century bridge was destroyed during the war in Bosnia between 1992-1995, rebuilt and opened again in 2004.

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters

A combination picture shows St Basil's Cathedral before (R) and during Earth Hour in Moscow

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When the world switched off lights for an hour


Photographs: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

A combination picture shows the Brandenburger Tor gate before (top) and during Earth Hour in Berlin