Letters to the Earth launches ‘Letters of Love in a Time of Crisis’ in response to COVID-19
1 Apr 2020
Letters to the Earth has just launched “Letters of Love in a Time of Crisis” in response to COVID-19.
- Letters to the Earth responds to Covid-19 by calling on the public to write letters of global creative solidarity in a new campaign called Letters to the Earth: Letters of Love in a Time of Crisis.
- Artists, key workers, the young and the old – worldwide – are invited to write ‘Letters of Love’ in response to the global pandemic.
- Actor and star of ‘End of the F***ing World’ Alex Lawther and writer Mary Heglar are joined by NHS worker Jules Sullivan, Dr Stuart Capstick, lorry driver Les McInnes, shop assistant Annadelia Laterza and school children, asking people to take this moment ‘for a new story to emerge’.
- A curation of received letters will be performed by a global community of readers as an accessible live stream on Earth Day, 22nd April, to mark the one year anniversary of Letters to the Earth, a campaign that encourages action in response to a planet in crisis.
- Since its launch in 2019, the Letters to the Earth campaign and book has had the contribution of Yoko Ono, Emma Thompson, Caroline Lucas, Jackie Morris, Mark Rylance, Kate Tempest and hundreds of young people and activists worldwide.
- The callout is supported by Extinction Rebellion’s AloneTogether campaign, a regenerative response to the global pandemic
In February 2019 the British public were invited to put pen to paper and write a Letter to the Earth in response to the climate and ecological emergency. This could be a letter to or from the Earth, future or past generations, those who hold positions of power and influence, or other species. The invitation was open to all and open to interpretation – it could come from a personal place, be dramatic in form, be a call to action. Letters of love, loss, hope and action were written by over 1000 people worldwide – from 4 year olds to great grandparents, artists, scientists, nurses – putting the planetary crisis front and centre.
A year later and humanity is in crisis.
Whilst in the midst of change brought by Covid-19, Letters to the Earth invites people from across the world to give voice to their fears, hopes and visions for the future and to write to each other in this time of separation and unknown.
Marking one year since the launch of Letters to the Earth, the public are invited to send the campaign team their letters to be included in an online event on Earth Day, 22nd April 2020, where letters will be read by international actors, authors, key workers and young people, alongside letters featured in the published book Letters to the Earth: Writing to a Planet in Crisis.[1]
Letters to the Earth Co-Directors Kay Michael and Jo McInnes say: “We recognise that around the world right now there is great suffering and disruption. Letters to the Earth invites a moment of pause and solidarity in times of crisis and change. During this time we hope this callout can offer connection to each other and our home Planet Earth.”
The callout is supported by Extinction Rebellion’s AloneTogether campaign, a regenerative response to the global pandemic, where they are working to meet the coronavirus crisis in communities with compassion, creativity and mutual aid. [2]
The Callout
Letters to the Earth: Letters of Love in a time of Crisis
In these moments of separation, stillness and unknown, Letters to the Earth is an opportunity to reconnect and for a new story to emerge.
What do you want to say? What needs to be heard?
For our key workers, neighbours, faraway friends and family. For yourself, for others and for the Earth: Letters of love, support and hope are needed.
Take a moment, from wherever you are. And write your Letter to the Earth.
These letters are for you to keep, to give and send (safely), to put up in your window for others to read and to share on social media via #LetterstotheEarth @CultureDeclares.
You can email your letter to letterstotheearth@gmail.com by midnight Sunday 12th April 2020 and tune in on Earth Day 22nd April 2020 via www.letterstotheearth.com to hear some of the many letters read.
Letters in languages other than English will be accepted.
Email: culturedeclaresmedia@gmail.com
www.letterstotheearth.com
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