The goal of this petition is to bring the ‘100 million trees by 2017’ campaign to Rio+20, the largest event in the history of the United Nations, to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012.

“Rio+20 will be one of the most important global meetings on sustainable development in our time.”

– UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Who are we? We are Environment Online – ENO, a global virtual school and network for sustainable development currently operating in 7000 schools in 141 countries since 2000. Environmental themes are studied throughout the school year and campaigns arranged simultaneously around the world. To date, ENO schools have made concrete deeds for the environment and planted seven million trees.

 

You can make this happen. We need your vote in the Global Rockstar song contest to put ENO at the forefront of Rio+20.

The goal of ENO is ‘100 million trees by 2017’. It is do-able, and we need your help.

 

Our special song, entitled “Act Now! Forest Matters” sends a strong message to the world about the importance of forests and the need of action. In order to plant 100 million trees by 2017 we need all the promotional ways to reach our goal. “Act Now! Forest Matters” has been submitted to Global Rockstar, a song contest for children and youth about environment. The winning song will be performed in Rio+20 Summit. We have to win this contest.

The action you can take today in support of this partition is simple: Vote for our song.

Here’s how:

1. Go to http://www.global-rockstar.net/act-now-forest-matters

2. Watch the video, ‘Act Now! Forest Matters’

3. Click on the LARGE RED HEART underneath the video.

4. Sign this petition

5. Tell at least 5 of your friends on Facebook, Twitter, email, and other social media.

6. Vote regularly! You can vote once every 24 hours up until 19 May 2012.

The winning song will be performed in Rio in front of the most influential world policy-makers and a global audience.

Mika’s favourite motto comes from St Francis of Assisi: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;  and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

"I whole-heartedly support Mika as he has proven time and again his dedication to resolving environmental issues by engaging individuals and communities across continents.  He is truly an inspiration." - Jane Goodall, Founder: the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

"The history of ENO environment programme established by Mika Vanhanen 10 years ago, is indeed a chronicle of inspiration and action which makes him an excellent candidate for UNEP's Champion of the Earth Award. The Award will not only be a recognition of the work already done; it will encourage this and many similar initiatives to flourish throughout the planet." - Shafqat Kakakhel, Senior Advisor Environment, Sustainable Policy Development Institute

"ENO has grown remarkably year after year, involving an ever larger number of countries, organizations  and people in a global enterprise that connects people globally to make a difference locally for the environment.

ENO's holistic approach to sustainable development brings together local communities with global collaborative learning in a process that stimulates cultural dialogue, generosity, sharing and solidarity in favour of the poor and the digitally excluded. In this sense, ENO is a real and effective agent for human development.

ENO is the result of the dream, motivation and determination of an individual who has been able to mobilize others across the planet. Its success lies in the richness of spirit of Mika Vanhanen and of all those who have joined him to create a new reality of particular value for teachers and students from developing countries." - Alfonso Molina, Professor of Technology Strategy, University of Edinburgh, Scientific Director to the Consorzio Gioventù Digitale and the Fondazione Mondo Digitale

"Mika is a true innovative spirit, a warrior of a mighty cause, a man of integrity, vision and skills, a great soul and craftsman who turns into reality the dream of sustainable future that all of us share but only a few realize in action. Mika leads the way, one of the truly great Finns of our time." - Esa Saarinen, Professor of applied philosophy, Aalto University, Finland

The Rio+20 Global Youth Music Contest is a global competition for young people organized by the International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI) with a wide number of partners and youth networks on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Earth Summit) to be held in June 2012 in Brazil.

This opportunity encourages youth to express their hopes, concerns and thoughts on future of our earth through the resonance of music as a powerful expression that incites commitment for sustainable development. The contest will collect musical messages from global youth exploring global solutions for sustainable development and the winners will win a trip to Rio de Janeiro to attend and perform at the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June 2012 and make the voices of global youth heard through their music.

The song that you will see in the video was composed by Mika Vanhanen, and is sung by his eleven year old daughter Helmi, with Mika accompanying on grand piano.

Music & lyrics: Mika Vanhanen
Vocals: Helmi Vanhanen, 11 yrs
Grand Piano (Steinway&Sons): Mika Vanhanen

Act Now! Forest Matters

Feel it in the air remember what's been told:
A third of the ground out there is our greenest gold.
Don't waste it, show you care so that people everywhere
Understand and see our forest from the trees

You need to act now plant it in your heart
The simple fact of how we can do our part
For future generations. Step up and make a vow,
'Cause forest matters, our time is now.
They are homes for plenty of species in the Earth,
A livelihood to many, of so much they are worth.
Use wisely what's been given and give back what you owe.
We need them for our living - we want our forest to grow.

You need to act now plant it in your heart
The simple fact of how we can do our part
For future generations. Step up and make a vow,
'Cause forest matters, our time is now.

This seedling in my hand, I will let it grow
for those who built our land so many years ago.
We have all the keys and after centuries
if our game is fair the green gold will be there.

You need to act now plant it in your heart
The simple fact of how we can do our part
For future generations. Step up and make a vow,
'Cause forest matters, our time is now.
'Cause forest matters, our time is now!

WHAT TO DO?

1. Go to http://www.global-rockstar.net/act-now-forest-matters

2. Watch the video, ‘Act Now! Forest Matters’

3. Click on the LARGE RED HEART underneath the video.

4. Sign this petition

5. Tell at least 5 of your friends on Facebook, Twitter, email, and other social media.

 

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

To learn more about our campaign, visit http://enoprogramme.org/

To learn more about Rio+20, visit http://www.un.org/en/sustainablefuture/