John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, (3 January, 1892 – 2 September, 1973), was a philologist and writer, best known as the author of The Hobbit  and its sequel The lord of the Rings.

1)He served as the Professor of

a) French and English mythology

b) Anglo-Saxon language

c) fictional mythology.

2)Tolkien created a legendarium,

a) a fictional mythology about the remote past of Earth

b) Tolkien's published fiction stories and novels

c) Tolkien's fiction stories and novels characters.

3)The Tolkien family had its roots in present-day

a)  Germany

b) South Africa

c) Scotland.

Tolkien met and fell in love with Edith Mary Batt, three years his senior, at the age of sixteen. Father Francis forbade him from meeting, talking, or even corresponding with her until he was twenty-one. He obeyed this prohibition to the letter. On the evening of his twenty-first birthday, Tolkien wrote to Edith a declaration of his love and asked her to marry him.

4)She replied saying that she was already engaged, but had done so because she had believed Tolkien had forgotten her.

a) They never met, but always remembered each other.

b)The two met up and renewed their love, with Edith returning her ring and choosing to marry Tolkien instead.

c) Tolkien married another girl in revenge, but necer was happy.

During his life in retirement, from 1959 up to his death in 1973, Tolkien received steadily increasing public attention and literary fame. The sales of his books were so profitable that he regretted that he had not chosen early retirement.

At first tea (and coffee also) was sold in the chemist' s shop or in the coffee house. By the 17 century tea had become the privillege drink for men as it was served in the places where mostly men gathered like clubs or private dinners or parties. It was queen Chatherine again who popularized tea among the court ladies and the society.

In 1717 the first tea shop "Golden Lion" was opened in London. That was the start of mass import of  tea and the beginning of the famous English tea ceremony.

One of the most well-known of English traditions is Afternoon Tea, a meal that seems to reflect the perceived view of Englishness today. But in fact tea is drunk 6 times a day, as a rule. In the early morning to wake yourself up and an hour or two later for breakfast with milk and toast. That is known as English Breakfast tea. The third time comes in the lunch-time. English tea #1 is served at lunch. You may be sure the tea ceremony in Great Britain is of that importance as the Japanese tea ceremony. But with lots of tasty things.

While the origin of Valentine's Day remains foggy, one thing is clear: we celebrate now St. Valentine day in  both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

The Romans celebrated a Pagan holiday on February 15th to honor Faunus, god of fertility.This

festival called the Lupercalia, was held for centuries. Priests of Faunus, who you might recognize by his Greek name Pan, used to sacrifice animals in the cave where the She-Wolf nursed Romulus and Remus. This cave was called the Lupercal (wolf's den). In one ritual, women would submit their names to a common box and men would each draw one out. These two would be a couple for the duration of the festival (and at times for the entire following year). Both rituals were designed to promote not only fertility, but also life generally.

. How did it happen to be the celebration of St. Valentine on February 14th ?

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend tells that Roman emperor Claudius II imposed a ban on marriages because too many young men were dodging the draft by getting married (only single men had to enter the army). A Christian priest named Valentinus was caught performing secret marriages and sentenced to death. While awaiting execution, young lovers visited him with notes about how much better love is than war. The execution occurred in 269 CE on February 14th.

Another Valentinus was a priest jailed for helping Christians.Every dayjailer’s daughter brought him bread. She was blind. They talked long hours during his stay in jail. Soon they fell in love. One day Valentine put his arm through the grate  and touched the closed eyes of  the jailer’s daughter and when she opened them she could see. It was a miracle .Before his execution on his last night on earth  he sent her a message signed “from your Valentine”. And ever since lovers send each other messages on February 14th with the same signature. He was eventually beheaded and buried on the Via Flaminia. Reportedly Pope Julius I built a basilica over his grave. A third and final Valentinius was the bishop of Terni and he was also martyred, with his relics being taken back to Terni.
The flower-adorned skull of St. Valentine is on display in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. In the early 1800s, the excavation of a catacomb near Rome yielded skeletal remains and other relics now associated with St. Valentine. As it is customary, these bits and pieces of the late saint’s body have subsequently been distributed to reliquaries around the world. You’ll find other bits of St. Valentine’s skeleton on display in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, England and France.

In 469, emperor Gelasius declared February 14th a holy day in honor of Valentinus instead of the pagan god Lupercus. This allowed Christianity to take over some of the celebrations of love and fertility which had perviously occurred in the context of paganism. Pagan celebrations were reworked to fit the martyr theme.The medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer often took liberties with history, placing his poetic characters into fictitious historical contexts that he represented as real. No record exists of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to a poem Chaucer wrote around 1375. In his work “Parliament of Foules,” he links a tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s feast day–an association that didn’t exist until after his poem received widespread attention. The poem refers to February 14 as the day birds (and humans) come together to find a mate. When Chaucer wrote, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate,” he may have invented the holiday we know today.

When the Duke of Orleans, Charles was imprisoned in Tower of London in the year 1415 he wrote  a love poem to his wife and it may be was the start of a tradition. It is the only oldest surviving valentine and is now displayed in the British Museum.

Now St.Valentine's day is a celebration with many industries involved: food, flowers, gifts, postcards, everything to meet people's requires.

The sending of flowers on Valentine's Day is reputed to be the busiest day of the year for florists. But there is a language associated with which flowers to send.The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. Red roses declare true love, but a white rose means I Love You Not! Yellow depicts jealousy with pink for innocent love. Red Tulips are a declaration of powerful love and Snowdrops bring hope. So check first to see that the flowers you are sending carry the correct message.

The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten and if you are not sure you can always make another kind of bouquet.

(very tasty ones).

On this day you are sure to send love letters or messages.  A great variety of e-cards you can find on the Internet. What else can you do together? May be watch romantic movies or  arrange a party.

Going for a date with sweetheart is the most popular way of celebrating Valentine's Day festival. Those in love start thinking about unique Valentine's Day dating ideas days in advance to ensure a romantic and memorable time with their beloved. However, those without a date start registering themselves for various online and offline dating services so that they do not miss out on the fun the couples enjoy on a Valentine's Day. One of the date ever be unforgettable is famous Blind date with Kim Basinger and Bruce Willis.

Victory Day is a national holiday in Russia. Public offices, schools and most businesses are closed for the celebrations.There are local parades and street performances almost in every city, town or  settlement.

Victory Day or 9 May marks the Soviet Union's victory over  Nazi Germany in the Second World War (also known as the Great Patriotic War). It was first celebretated in 15 Soviet republics after the adoption of the surrender document on May 8, 1945. The Soviet government announced the victory early on 9 May after the signing ceremony in Berlin. The holiday became a non-labour day only in 1965 and only in some of the countries. It is celebrated to commemorate the 28 000 000 (according to different estimates) children, parents, spouses and friends killed in Soviet Union during the World War II.

Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day or VE Day) was on 8 May 1945, the date when the  World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. On 30 April Hitler committed suicide  during the Battle of Berlin, and so the surrender of Germany was authorized by his replacement, President of Germany Karl Donitz.  The administration headed up by Dönitz was known as the Flensburg Government.  The act of military surrender was signed on May 7 in Reims , France, and May 8 in Berlin, Germany. On 7 September in 5 days after the  end of the WWII took place Victory parade of Allies in Berlin.

What do people do?

Many people attend a local military parade and watch the fireworks at night on Victory Day. The biggest parade is in Moscow’s Red Square, showcasing Russia’s military forces. Most veterans wear their medals as they head to the parade or an event organized by a local veteran organization. (Watch this 1945 parade of Victory./ black and white full-length here. )

Another tradition is to give flowers, usually red carnations, to veterans in the street and to lay wreaths at the war memorial sites. Neighborhood schools may host a program prepared by the students, featuring wartime songs and poetry.

At home, families gather around a festive table to honor surviving witnesses of World War II and remember those who passed away. They may also watch a favorite Soviet film based on the events of World War II, which is also known as the Great Patriotic War. These films are repeated each year but the audience seems to never grow tired of them.

Common symbols of Victory Day in Russia are:

• St. George ribbon – people wear this black-and-yellow ribbon on their clothes or tie it to car antennas as a sign of respect and remembrance.
• Red carnations – blood red is the color of the Soviet flag under which the veterans had fought. Laying an even number of red carnations at war memorial sites signifies mourning and remembrance.
• Red Star medal – a military distinction for bravery.

On May 10, 2012Russian and British veterans celebrated  Victory Day together

On May 9 May, Victory Day, London’s Russian and British communities came together to salute the bravery of the sailors involved in the Arctic Convoys of World War II. The festivities started with a reception on board HMS Belfast, followed by an open concert in the Hays Galleria.

The man behind these Victory Day celebrations, Eugene Kasevin from The Russia House, has been organizing London events commemorating the Arctic Convoys since 2007. He wanted to formally recognize the courage of Russian and British sailors and the pivotal role they played in the outcome of World War II

This year’s commemorative event started with Tower Bridge being raised in honor of the British and Russian veterans as the William B riverboat transported them along the Thames to a reception aboard the HMS Belfast, a important Arctic Convoy ship.

the traditional private reception on board the HMS Belfast was followed by a concert, free for all to attend. It took place right in the heart of the City of London, where traditional music from the Russian village reverberated around the massive ceilings of the Hays Galleria. Music was provided by Moscow-based Family Tradition Folklore Ensemble, who performed against the backdrop of the Thames and the City skyline, with the HMS Belfast prominently visible outside.

Winston Churchill described the Arctic Convoys to Russia (1941-1945) as “the worst journey in the world.” During the convoys, allied and Russian vessels travelled from the UK and Iceland to Russia’s northern ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk via the treacherous seas of the Arctic Ocean. The sailors on these journeys braved 20-foot waves, pack ice and bitterly cold temperatures to deliver four million tons of vital supplies to the Soviet Union. (See Convoy PQ-17 famous film here.)

Veterans from both sides remembered strikingly similar experiences. In answer to the question “Was it frightening?” both Russian and British servicemen immediately say “No.” “We were young,” said Arthur, now 90, “we thought we were invincible, just like all young people do.” Vladimir, 87, remembers seeing ships blowing up all around him, “but we never thought it would happen to us.” More than 70 years later, Russian and British war veterans are finding that they have a lot in common.  “Ultimately we’re all the same,” said John. “We’ve become friends.”
Source: Russia Beyond the Headlines -http://rbth.com/articles/2012/05/10/russian_and_british_veterans_celebrate_together_on_victory_day_15630.html   Living history group 2nd Guards Rifle Division carefully tries to keep memories of those days.

The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating. The Games were held every four years from 1924 until 1936 when they were interrupted by World War II. The Olympics resumed in 1948 and were celebrated every four years, in the same year as the Summer Olympic Games. In 1992 the governing body for the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Comettee (IOC), decided to place the Summer and Winter Games on separate four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years.

The Winter Olympics have been hosted on three continents, but never in a country in the ____(south) hemisphere. The United States _____ (host) the Games four times; France has been the host three times; Austria, Canada, Italy, Japan, Norway and Switzerland have hosted the Games  _____(two). In 2014 Sochi is the _____ ( one) Russian city to host the Winter Olympics. The IOC has selected Pyeongchang, South Korea, to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The first international multi-sport event ___ winter sports was the Nordic Games held in Sweden in 1901. Originally organised ___ General Viktor Gustaf Balck, the Nordic Games were held again ___ 1903 and 1905 and then every fourth year thereafter ___ 1926. Balck was a charter member of the International Olympic Comettee (IOC) and a close friend ___ Olympic Games founder Pierre de Coubertene He attempted to have winter sports, specifically figure skating, added ___ the Olympic programme but was unsuccessful ___ the 1908 Summer Olympics ___ London, United Kingdom.

The 1916 Olympics was cancelled after the ______ of World War I.The first Olympics after the War were held in Antwerp, Belgium and featured figure skating and  ice hockey ________.

At the  IOC Congress held the ________ year it was _______ that the host nation of the 1924 Summer Olympics, France, would host a separate "__________ Winter Sports Week" under the patronage of the IOC. Chamonix was chosen to host this "week" (actually 11 days) of events. The Games proved to be a success when more than 250 athletes from 16 nations ________ in 16 events. ________ from Finland and Norway won 28 medals, more than the rest of the participating nations combined. In 1925 the IOC decided to create a separate Olympic Winter Games and the 1924 Games in Chamonix was retroactively designated as the first Winter Olympics.

St.Moritz, Switzerland, was appointed by the IOC to host the second Winter Olympic Games in 1928. Fluctuating weather conditions challenged the hosts. Because of the weather the 10,000 metre speed-skating event had to be abandoned and officially cancelled. The weather was not the only note-worthy aspect of the 1928 Games; Sonja Henije of  Norway made history when she won the figure skating competition at the age of 15. She became the youngest Olympic champion in history, a distinction she would hold for 74 years.

The next Winter Olympics was the first to be hosted outside of Europe. Seventeen nations and 252 athletes participated. This was less than in 1928 as the journey to Lake Placid , United States, was a long and expensive one for most competitors who had little money in the midst of the Great Depresion. The athletes competed in fourteen events in four sports.

Skiing’s various disciplines call for speed, endurance, and dexterity from their participants, particularly on challenging slopes.

An incredibly high tempo sport, ice hockey calls for skating skill, tactical awareness, teamwork and the courage to control a puck that can reach speeds up to 100km/h.

Combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, biathlon demands mental focus and physical stamina, presenting a fascinating spectacle for viewers.

Curling is an  exciting team sport, that calls for great teamwork, while its tactical subtleties give it the nickname "chess on ice".

At the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games  was made the presentation for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.

Sochi 2014  in Russia is the most compact Winter Games in the history of the Olympic Movement. It is possible to get from one venue to another in just a matter of minutes and all Olympic and Paralympic competition took place in the same venues. It is for this reason that all athletic facilities for the Sochi 2014 Games were built with the needs of disabled people in mind. Eleven athletic venues were built for the Sochi 2014 Games, which are divided into two clusters - mountain and coastal. The clusters are located within 48km of each other, which is less than a 30 minute ride along a new railway.

Each cluster  contains an Olympic Village. The travel time from the Olympic Village to a competition venue in the coastal cluster is no more than five minutes. Additionally, travel time from the Olympic Village to a competition venue in the mountain cluster is less than 15 minutes.

5,500 Olympic athletes, 1,350 Paralympic athletes, 25,000 volunteers, and 13,000 members of the press  came to the Games in Sochi. Sports venues in the Olympic Park are visited daily by more than 75,000 people, and the Games' television audience will be approximately 3 billion viewers! In addition, residents of Russia's major cities were able to watch a live television broadcast of the Olympic events at specially equipped Olympic sites called Live Sites.

A series of special events have been held across Russia.

Highlighting the national significance of Russias first Olympic Winter Games, the most spectacular of all the Sochi 2014 brand launch ceremonies took place in Red Square, in the very heart of Russias capital, Moscow.The event featured fireworks, an air show and an impressive performance by Russias most revered figure skaters on a purpose-built ice rink, including Olympic champions Tatiana Navka, Roman Kostomarov and Alexei Yagudin and two-time World champion Irina Slutskaya. They were accompanied by Eurovision song contest winners and international pop sensations Dima Bilan and Alexander Rybak, and some of Russias other top music stars.

The Sochi 2014 Organising Committee  unveiled the torch that  carried the Olympic flame during the  Winter Games. The torch was presented by Sochi 2014 Ambassadors Tatiana Navka, and Ilya Averbukh at a ceremony in Moscow. Developed by a creative team, led by Vladimir Pirozhkov and Andrei Vodyanik, the Sochi 2014 torch is chrome with red detail – red being the traditional colour of Russian sport and designed as a feather of a folk-tale Fire-bird.

The Olympic flame is a symbol of the Olympic Games. The fire was kept  burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, and it has been part of the modern Olympic Games ever since. In contrast to the Olympic flame proper, the Torch Relay of modern times, which transports the flame from Greece to the various designated sites of the games, had no ancient precedent and was introduced by Carl Diem at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The design of the torch used in the relay to the Games changes for each Games. They may be designed to represent a classical ideal, or to represent some local aspect of those particular Games.In the case of the Olympic Winter Games the Olympic flame has a slightly different historical timeline. Similar to the Summer Games it was a symbolic fire that was first used at the1936 Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.In the context of the Winter Games, the first relay took place during the Olympic Winter Games in 1952 in Oslo. This first relay did not start in Olympia, Greece, but in the valley of Morgedal in Norway. The region, considered as the birthplace of skiing, was chosen as a reminder of the origins of this sport. The flame was lit in the hearth of the chalet belonging to Sondre Norheim, a legendary figure in Norwegian skiing.

Choosing a route for a relay is not as easy as drawing a straight line between Olympia and the

Olympic stadium of the host city of the Games! Each relay has its own “flavour” and enables

people from all over the world to discover the history and culture of the host city and country.

The Olympic Torch Relay Sochi 2014  is the longest national relay ever held for the Winter Games (65,000km).

The Torch travelled to the North Pole and  Mount Elbrus. It was relayed under the surface of Lake Baikal, the largest and deepest fresh water lake in the world. It went to the International Space Station (ISS) to have a walk in space.With its bright, eye-catching design, the Sochi 2014 torch is  a reflection of Russian hospitality, and the joyful and inspirational atmosphere which is an integral part of the Olympic Torch Relay. (a BBC Torch Relay Quiz is here.)

Sochi mascots had been chosen by the whole country and to do it was a great job! A nationwide design contest was held in Russia, from September 1 to December 5, 2010.24,000 designs were sent in for the contest. A short list of designs were announced in December 2010, after a jury had reviewed thousands of designs. The shortlisted designs were presented to the public on February 7, 2011. A live national TV broadcast, on Russia's Channel One, included a nationwide text message voting, where Russians voted for their favorite mascot.So, they are a  leopard, a  polar bear and a hare.

The ceremonies are the most impressive and memorable events of the Olympic Games. The involvement of the best athletes and the most talented artists, and the support of spectators  create a truly unforgettable show.There are three kinds of Ceremonies which are open to spectators and broadcast to billions of television viewers all over the world: the Opening Ceremony, the Closing Ceremony and Victory Ceremonies.The Ceremonies  create an unforgettable impression both on their participants and the spectators.The Opening Ceremony (here is the Opening ceremony of Moscow Olympics 1980) and the Closing ceremony marks the start of the Games and presents the athletes.

Victory Ceremonies are held after each medal event to honor the medal winners.The Closing Ceremonyconcludes the Games, recalling the highlights and reviewing the sports events.

The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2014  took place at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia, on 7 February 2014. It began at 20:14 MSK and finished at 23:02 MSK It was filmed and produced by OBS and Russian host broadcaster VGTRK.

The Games were officially opened by President Vladimir Putin. An audience of 40,000 were in attendance at the stadium with an estimated 2,000 performers.

The creative director, Konstantin Ernst, had this to say:

In order to present our culture objectively we decided to look at it through a European’s perspective, through the eyes of a man born in the very heart of Europe: prominent director Daniele Finzi Pasca. We wanted to see how Russian culture reflects in the world art context and which part of Russian culture has already become an integral part of world culture.

And finally, here are some further clues from a press release:

The audience will be presented with a European vision of Russia. Spectators of the Closing Ceremony at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will once again meet Lubov (Love), the young girl who was already introduced during the Opening Ceremony. Along with her new friends Valentina and Yura, she will travel through Russian culture, turning the pages of Russian literature, enjoying the magic of Russian art and listening to the wonderful sounds of Russian music.

Environmental protection is the main problem facing humanity nowadays. The image of a sick planet has become firmly established in the public mind lately. Ten years ago the word 'ecology' hardly meant anything for the majority of people, but today we can't help bearing it in our minds. It has happened because of the growing effect of the rapid industrial development of the world which has negative impact on our nature. As a matter of fact the state of environment has greatly worsened.

Wherever one looks, one encounters pollution in all its forms. Forests are disappearing. Green areas around cities are being replaced by concrete buildings. Waste products are being dumped indiscriminately. Water is too toxic to consume. The air is unfit for breathing in. Global warming has become a menacing issue.There are concerns about how long life on Earth, is going to survive. The human race is at the brink of a self-created disaster.

Years of thoughtless exploitation of nature by man has resulted in the effects staring right in our face now. Climate change, extinction of species, and pollution of life-supporting air and water has become a growing concern for nations all over the world. Knowing about the various ways in which humans have affected the environment will help us to understand and address the problems better.We have overworked the planet. Still, we can stop environmental degradation by following certain rules. Creating awareness about the duties and responsibilities of the citizens of EARTH is equally important.

Now as more and more studies and research are being carried out to understand the various effects that humans have had on the environment, an increasing number of people are awakening to the fact that the well-being of the environment and survival are intricately woven into each other.They join and support different green parties and organisations (e.g.http://iucn.org/   ; http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/ ;  http://www.thevenusproject.com/;  http://www.sospecies.org/).

They set up projects.

Yet another issue, species conservation basically deals with conservation of flora and fauna, in order to curb the extinction of species.The planet's natural resources,its biodiversity,provides our wealth,our health,our food and fuel. Extinction of a single species of plant or animal results in a dramatic imbalance in the ecosystem, as a number of other species dependent on it directly or indirectly are also affected. Over the last century or so, several plants and animal species have become extinct thus resulting in a major loss for the biodiversity of the planet.130 species become extinct each day.Alarmed at this assault on nature,the United Nations has declared 2010 the international year of biodiversity.

How can Humans Improve Damaged Ecosystems

Passing and implementing strict laws for industries and colonies. Those who are responsible for polluting air and water should be severely punished.
Creating protected wildlife reserves. Certain species that are on the verge of extinction should be declared as 'protected species' by respective governments.
Breeding certain species, and releasing them afterwards so that they can live in their own habitat. Preserving and creating proper habitats.
Planting as many trees as possible. Reforestation or re-greening the damaged areas can help avoid desertification of land.
Creating awareness by celebrating 'Earth Day', 'Green Day', 'Tree Day', etc.
Eliminating foreign species can help native species of plants to grow.
Cleaning the rivers, ponds and lakes.
Avoiding use of plastic bags.
Separating dry and wet garbage, composting, using wet garbage as manure.
Avoiding use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Using innovative and different energy forms like solar energy, wind energy, etc.
Limiting the use of vehicles by following the rule of carpool, taking stairs, walking or taking a bike ride whenever possible.
Eating local products can help avoid wastage of gas and air pollution; as food products are transported by trucks, trains, ships or airplanes. They are processed with machines which require electricity to run.

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by WWF (World Wildlife Fund ) held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change, demonstrating that by working together, we can all make a difference. Earth Hour is a   World Wildlife Fund initiative that has grown from a single event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. The inaugural event resulted in a 10.2 percent energy reduction in Sydney alone, the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road. Some see it as a political act against the big energy companies and oil cartels. Others power down during Earth Hour to strike a blow in the battle against carbon emissions and global warming. Millions more will take part as a sort of "test run" for when non-renewable energy resources ultimately begin to dwindle in the not-too-distant future.

Earth Hour 2008

With 35 cities around the world participating as official flagship cities and over 400 cities also supporting, Earth Hour 2008 was a major success, celebrated on all seven continents. Iconic landmarks all around the world turned off their non-essential lighting for Earth Hour which included the Empire State Building (New York City), Sears Tower (Chicago), Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco), Bank of America Plaza (Atlanta), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia), Wat Arun Buddhist Temple (Bangkok, Thailand), the Colosseum (Rome, Italy), Royal Castle (Stockholm, Sweden), London's City Hall (England), Space Needle (Seattle), and the CN Tower (Toronto, Canada).More and more cities join them every year.

Some highlights:www.earthhour.org, the official website received over 6.7 million unique visitors the week leading up to Earth Hour. Google.com homepage went "dark" around the world on the day Earth Hour took place.

According to a Zogby International online survey 36 million people participated in Earth Hour 2008, with an estimated 50 million doing the same around the world. The survey also showed there was a 4 percentage point increase in awareness of environmental issues such as climate change, directly after the event.

Next came Earth Hour 2009 and 2010.