Earth Day Marks Beginning of Global Tree Planting Project

Planting in Las Vegas Joins Others Held in Olympic Torch Route Cities And Other Sites to Boost Environmental Effort

Las Vegas, NV—April 19, 2003–Three-time Gold Medalist Ludger Beerbaum of Germany joined other Olympic athletes from around the world who are championing the environment as part of the Global Olive Wreath project, created by the Athens Environmental Foundation (AEF).

Beginning on Earth Day 2003 (April 19), AEF is launching an 18-month tree-planting project that will circle the globe along the 2004 Olympic torch route forming a figurative “Global Olive Wreath.” People in every region and country of the world are being encouraged to support the effort by participating in local ceremonies as champions of this project.

Every city that has ever hosted an Olympic Summer Games, plus the cities of Beijing, Cairo, Cape Town, Rio De Janeiro, Las Vegas, New York, Lausanne, and Nicosia are holding tree-planting ceremonies, reflecting a worldwide commitment to environmental responsibility, peace, and prosperity. AEF also plans to extend “branches” of the Global Olive Wreath to some of the most troubled cities in the world, including Jerusalem, Belfast, Ramallah, and Baghdad.

Las Vegas, host of Budweiser World Cup 2003, equestrian show jumping’s foremost competition of the year, joined the project by planting a tree presented on behalf of Olympic athletes by Beerbaum who was in Las Vegas to compete for show jumping’s top prize.

“A healthy environment is important to all of us and I am proud that Olympic athletes are doing our part to help,” Beerbaum said.

“Anyone anywhere in the world interested in adding a branch can do so,” said Jim Skiera, associate executive director of the International Society of Arboriculture. Trees and planting projects can be registered online at www.athensenvironmental.org or www.treesaregood.org.

Although the Global Olive Wreath project will include planting olive trees wherever possible, especially in the Mediterranean basin, other location-appropriate trees are being used in cities around the world. Members of the ISA are providing their expertise in tree care to assist with proper tree selection for various planting ceremonies worldwide. The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, hosting show jumping’s World Cup Final for the second time, welcomed the chance to further the effort.

“The World Cup Final has brought the Olympic movement right to our doorstep and we are pleased to support this important cause,” said Robert Maxey, Chairman of Budweiser World Cup 2003.

Daren Libonati, Director of the Thomas & Mack Center, echoed Maxey’s sentiments, saying that, “The Thomas & Mack Center is proud to host Olympic athletes in show jumping’s premier event and we are equally proud to accept this tree in support of the Global Olive Wreath project.”

“The world has long awaited an effort like the Global Olive Wreath project, emphasizing the importance of sport and the environment,” said marine environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau. “This global environmental tree-planting will forever impact the condition of our oceans, fresh water, air, soil, and wildlife.”

AEF was established to organize, support, and promote global environmental awareness, education, responsibility and sustainability associated with the 2004 Olympiad in Athens, Greece and future Olympic games.

Earlier on April 19, an AEF Olympian Earth Day ceremony in Athens, Greece formally kicked off the project with the planting of the first olive trees in the “wreath.” World Olympians, including Nikos Kaklamanakis and Michael Voudouris of Greece, along with Jean-Michel Cousteau, participated in the celebration that was webcast globally. The project will continue at more than 1,400 schools, university campuses, and other locations in more than 110 countries, including 75 locations throughout the U.S., until the 2004 Athens Olympic Games begin.

“Trees are the lungs of the planet and the olive wreath has always been revered as a symbol of peace, sustenance, and life, and the highest honor bestowed to an Olympic Champion,” said Tony Diamantidis, executive director of the Athens Environmental Foundation (AEF). “The Global Olive Wreath project allows the world to unite, on this momentous occasion of the homecoming of the Olympic games, under the Ancient Greek Olympic ideals of sport, culture, environment, and peace.”

Images copyrighted: Dirk Caremans

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