EARTH DAY AND ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA VIRUS

Earth Day, April 22, 2020, is more than a “feel good” celebration; the interconnections of all living things has come home to roost.  Remember the  Bee Exhibit in the park’s entrance dome and its  theme of colony collapse?  Now  global pandemics pose a threat to human survival. WE ARE THE HIVE! 

Enjoy  Earth Day with activities that raise awareness, stimulate dialogue and celebrate nature. Think global, act local. We are ALL stewards of Planet Earth. 

“Many sculpture exhibits in Hammarskjold Plaza draw on environmental themes,”  notes FDHP President Sherrill Kazan, who has sourced more than 20  sculpture artists. Working in collaboration with NYC Parks Art & Antiquities/Art in the Parks, she taps her global connections through World Council of Peoples for the United Nations (WCPUN).“I want to personally invite you to tune in at 11 am on YouTube to Art in the Time of Coronavirus for a panel discussion featuring NY Magazine Art Critic Jerry Salt, Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternack and other experts, moderated by the cultural representative for World Health Organization (WHO.) This Earth Day program is the first in a series to engage the arts and culture sector in UN global policy discussions and implementation efforts to address an ecological emergency. The one-hour discussion will be followed by a public Q&A and conclude with an invitation to join a global reading of Letters to the Earth.”

FOR FULL STORY AND PANEL INFO: Click here. 

FOR DIRECT LINK TO PROGRAM: Click here

Gorilla sculpture: Dag Plaza will have its own 800 pound  gorilla to hug. Cast in bronze by Nora Bornstein, the artist and NYC Parks Department will coordinate installation.  Meanwhile, tune into National Geographic’s Earth Day with the premiere of Jane Goodall: The Hope, a two-hour documentary that covers the vast legacy of Dr. Goodall’s decades of research and advocacy work for chimpanzees.

NYC PARKS OFFERS EARTHDAY PROGRAMS AND MORE…

Enjoy fun activities and virtual tours at home brought to you by Partnerships for Parks.  https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/parks-at-home.

NYC Parks reports that all  events in parks are cancelled through June 30  and no permit applications are  being reviewed until further notice. 

ARE YOU SAFE OUTDOORS? The latest research reveals that the Cover-19  virus can be infectious for several days before producing symptoms and some infected people never experience symptoms. So to protect yourself and others, practice social distancing of at least 6 ft. and wear a face mask. Covid-19 can spread between two people who are just talking in close proximity. Outdoors, the viral load dilutes and disburses so it becomes LESS contagious than in enclosed spaces like elevators and lobbies, BUT group sports and games or co-mingling are prohibited for good reason. Steer clear of joggers and anyone who is creating an airstream by huffing and puffing. 

SHOP THE GREENMARKET: Health precautions are being enforced, and six vendors continue to  offer fresh, locally sourced produce and seafood  on Wednesdays in Dag Plaza.  HELP keep Dag Plaza’s market open by observing all health guidelines. Support regional farmers and fishermen! 

DOG OWNERS ALERT: NYC Parks Department has closed dog runs because people were co-mingling. We expect  more dog walkers in Dag Plaza. Please do your part to avoid spreading secondary bacterial infections. Scoop the poop. NO excuses! 

 We all have a role to play in public health and hygiene. 

Special thanks to our volunteer gardeners who plant thousands of flower bulbs in autumn which bloom in spring and warm our hearts on Earth Day. ENJOY!  Gazing  at flowers is guaranteed to  relieve stress. 

THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY 

FRIENDS OF DAG HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA

 When we first learned of the Covid 19 pandemic, we delayed this year’s annual appeal for membership. Now City Council grant funding for 2020 is suspended, and we must rely on private funding to sustain our work to keep Hammarskjold Plaza clean, green and healthy. Please do what you can to support our park and its Katharine Hepburn Garden. You may choose to honor and/or remember a loved one by entering text in the box provided during the online process. 

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @friendsofdagplaza

WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA CARVER