Earth Society Foundation

The Earth Society Foundation (formerly known as the Earth Society) "was established by John McConnell (ES) and Margaret Mead to foster worldwide participation in the peaceful care of Earth, and to promote the annual celebration of Earth Day on the Equinox (March 20-21). Helen Garland is the Chairperson of the Earth Society Foundation, and Thomas C. Dowd is the President.

"The Earth Society Foundation, Inc. (http://www.earthsocietyfoundation.org), incorporated in the State of New York, is the original and solely legitimate organization preserving the celebration of Earth Day (Spring Equinox, March 20-21) with the ringing of the Peace Bell at UN Headquarters in New York City. The Earth Society Foundation, Inc. has organized this annual celebration for more than 30 years. The designation of Earth Trustee for supporters of Earth Day and those dedicated to peace, justice and care of Earth was originally developed by John McConnell, co-founder of the Earth Society Foundation in 1976."

Earth Day Honorees
Accessed July 2008:

1989: Noel Brown, United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
 * 1971: U Thant, Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1972: Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1973: C. V. Narasimhan, Chef du Cabinet, Under-Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs and Co-ordination, United Nations
 * 1974: Bradford Morse, Administrator, United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
 * 1975: (5th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 1975: Genichi Akatani, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1976: Robert J. Ryan, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1977: Margaret Mead, world renowned anthropologist, strong supporter of Earth Day and the Earth Society Foundation
 * 1978: Margaret Mead, Earth Day Chairperson
 * 1979: Estefania Aldaba-Lim, Special Representative (Assistant Secretary-General), United Nations
 * 1980: (10th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 1980: Edward Gibson, American Scientist-Astronaut, scientist-pilot Skylab 4
 * 1981: Arvid Pardo, Malta, United Nations Ambassador, founder of the Law of the Sea Conference
 * 1982: René Dubos, wife of the renowned scientist, humanist and Professor Emeritus of The Rockefeller University
 * 1983: Percival Brown, Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York
 * 1984: Paul McRae, Member of Parliament, representing Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Canada
 * 1985: 15th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 1985: Robert Muller, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1986: Robert Muller, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
 * 1987: Chester Norris, U.S. Mission, Minister Counselor, Deputy U.S. Representative to UN Economic and Social Council
 * Valentin Karymov, Senior Counselor, USSR Mission
 * Sheik Ali Mukhtar, Deputy Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
 * 1988: Edward Abramson, New York State Majority Whip, Earth Day Chairman
 * Umberto Mullare
 * Francis McCullough, Cardinal Krol Center, Philadelphia, PA
 * 1990:(20th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 1990: David Dinkins, Mayor, City of New York
 * Cynthia Lennon, artist, the United Kingdom
 * 1991: Antoine Blanca, Director-General for Development and International Economic Co-operation, United Nations
 * 1992: Joseph Ciccipio, former hostage in Beirut, former acting comptroller of the American University
 * Anicetas Simutis, Ambassador, Lithuania
 * Aivars Baumanis, Ambassador, Latvia
 * Paul Luedig, Counsellor, representing Ernst Jaakson, Ambassadore, Estonia
 * 1993: Rigoberto Menchu Tum, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, human rights activist, Guatemala
 * 1994: Nasir Obeid, young boy from Palestine
 * Daphne Tenne, young girl from Israel
 * 1995: (25th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 1995: Edwina Sandys, artist, and granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill, the late Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
 * 1996: Richard Butler, Ambassador, Australia
 * Anna McConnell, wife of John McConnell, Earth Day founder
 * 1997: Razali Ismail, Ambassador, Malaysia, and President of the General Assembly, United Nations
 * 1998: Gillian Sorensen, Under-Secretary-General for External Relations, United Nations
 * Kensaku Hogen, Under-Secretary for Communications and Public Information, United Nations
 * 1999: Ignatio Harding, Franciscans International
 * Lama Gangchen, Monk, Tibet
 * 2000: (30th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 2000: Gerhard Pfanzelter, Ambassador, Austria
 * 2001: Mary Catherine Bateson, author and daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson
 * 2002: Lisbet Palme, Swedish Committee for UNICEF, and wife of Olof Palme, the late Prime Minister of Sweden
 * 2003: Pete Seeger, legendary folk musician and environmentalist
 * 2004: John McConnell (ES), founder of Earth Day (March Equinox), and co-founder of the Earth Society Foundation
 * 2005: (35th Anniversary of Earth Day)
 * 2005: Aye Aye Thant, daughter of U Thant, UN Secretary-General
 * Don MacKay, Ambassador, New Zealand, and Acting President of the General Assembly, United Nations
 * Eduardo J. Sevilla Somoza, Ambassador, Nicaragua
 * 2006: Lars Hjalmar Wide, Ambassador/Chef de Cabinet, Office of the President of the 60th session of the UN General Assembly
 * Ambassador (& Mrs.) Shinichi Kitaoka, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN
 * 2007: Aye Aye Thant, daughter of U Thant, UN Secretary-General

Contact

 * 38 East 58th Street, Suite 2400
 * New York, NY 10022
 * Web: http://www.earthsocietyfoundation.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Hans Janitschek