EARTH DAY AS A WORLDWIDE DAY OF PEACE
We propose declaring 22 April (International Earth Day) a national Day of Peace in Estonia and worldwide.
The 2023 Estonian Human Development Report identifies one of the greatest challenges of our time as maintaining and fostering mental well-being. Addressing this challenge requires cross-sectoral prevention and significantly greater attention to the cultural and spiritual dimensions of human life, including meaningful shared values and traditions, and the interconnectedness of natural and social ecosystems.
Our mental well-being is closely connected to the environment around us. In recent years, the increasingly poor condition of our water bodies, pesticides in groundwater and soil, the pollution of the Baltic Sea, and disappearing forests have demanded urgent public attention and a new direction.
This perspective is also supported by British scientist Rupert Sheldrake in his book Science and Spiritual Practices, which presents seven spiritual practices that, according to extensive and long-term research, have demonstrated positive effects on human mental, emotional and physical health. In addition to the self-care practices highlighted by Peaasjad MTÜ — rest, clean water and food, physical activity and good relationships — these include:
🦋 Meditation, prayer and reflection on the nature of the mind
🙏 The flow of gratitude
🕸️ Reconnecting with nature
🌿 Relationships with plants
🎶 The power of songs, incantations and music
⚜️ Rituals and the presence of the past
⛩️ Pilgrimages and sacred places
According to the Estonian Human Development Report and other research, nearly 70% of people in Estonia who need mental health support do not receive the necessary services and treatment — depending on the age group and methodology. This is often due to funding limitations, waiting lists or barriers to access.
Earth Day on 22 April offers an opportunity to establish a lasting cultural and educational framework for fostering peace, mental well-being and environmental awareness in Estonia and around the world.
Let Earth Day, as a national Day of Peace, be our collective gift to future generations — a day when we create and care, rather than consume and destroy.
Earth Day is an eternal moment in which we pause and listen — both to nature and to ourselves. It is a day when we place peace and care at the heart of our values: peace within ourselves, peace among people, and peace with nature. We remember that we are part of a greater whole — part of a vast and living ecosystem in which every action matters.
On this day, we do not cut down forests, hunt animals or disturb the rhythms of nature.
It is a day for the Earth to breathe, when we give it an opportunity to rest and heal — and offer ourselves the same opportunity.
What can we do together on this day?
🌱 Plant a tree or care for existing saplings.
🧤 Collect litter from our neighbourhoods, forests, bogs, beaches, hiking trails and nature trails.
🛒 Choose products from local farmers instead of shopping at conventional supermarkets. Choose unpackaged food, visit second-hand shops or refrain from shopping altogether for the day.
🚶♀️ Walk, cycle, use public transport or share a ride to reduce our environmental footprint.
🔧 Repair something, give an item a new lease of life, and create value from what we already have.
🏞️ Go hiking, bring a reusable flask and cup, pack homemade food in reusable containers, and enjoy nature without generating waste. Avoid plastic and, in doing so, make a healthier choice for ourselves and the planet.
Creative Peace
Earth Day is also a creative celebration — a day when music, dance, art, words and actions come together in awareness and gratitude.
It may take the form of a community concert, a nature walk, a painting circle, a silent meditation, a village celebration or simply spending time outdoors with family. What matters is that we create something good together — for ourselves and, through our own well-being, for our children. We teach them to care and to nurture, so that they, too, will know how to protect life in the future.
Through creative activities, the message reaches deeper. It touches the heart, and through our awareness and care, the Earth receives renewed strength and balance.
WE CALL UPON THE RIIGIKOGU AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO:
1. Declare 22 April — Earth Day — a national Day of Peace.
2. Empower and support local, nationwide and international collaborative Earth Day initiatives, including songs, rituals and expressions of gratitude, concerts, performances, exhibitions, circles, workshops, discussion groups, and projects involving schools and communities — making these opportunities accessible to as many people as possible.
Establishing Earth Day as a National Day of Peace Would:
🌍 Create a national and educational framework that supports mental well-being and a culture of environmentally conscious thinking and action across cultures.
🌍 Increase environmental awareness and access to cultural and educational experiences that support mental well-being.
🌍 Send a message to the world: peace and a conscious relationship with the Earth are priorities for Estonia and the Estonian people as members of the global human community.
By signing this citizens’ initiative, we show that we stand for the mental well-being of the people of Estonia, a clean natural environment and conscious cultural creation.