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This week on the Earth Eclectic Radio Hour, host Bart Everson presents “One Earth, Many Tongues: A GreenAccord Tribute,” a musical voyage around the world inspired by his recent attendance at an environmental journalism conference in Italy: the XVIIth International Forum for Information on the Safeguarding of Nature, organized by GreenAccord. The journey begins with Giuseppe Gibboni’s luminous performance of Vivaldi’s “Winter” — the very piece that opened the conference itself — before settling into the atmospheric soundscape of Italy’s Fucecchio Marsh, the largest inland marsh in the country, recorded by Fausto Caricato. Ariege’s multilingual “Bendiciones” sets the polyglot tone, weaving Spanish and German into a single prayer of gratitude for Earth’s elements. Romanian ensemble Taraf de Haïdouks carries us along “A Stork Crosses the Danube, in the Company of a Raven,” while Anna Westin’s “Edge of the Sea” reflects her connections across Sweden, Canada, and England. A brief jazz meditation on chestnuts from Spain’s Abe Rábade precedes a montage from Earth Eclectic’s own 99th episode — assembled to demonstrate the series’ breadth to conference attendees from forty nations.

After a short break, Argentina’s El Compost del Sistema offers a darkly comic vision of billionaires searching for “Planeta B,” followed by South Korea’s Suwon Yim with the lush “Gentle Breeze.” Uruguay’s Renso Ruiz delivers a fleeting dandelion meditation before Orchéstre Baka Gbiné transports us to the forests of Cameroon with traditional Yelli singing — songs historically addressed to the forest itself at night. Iraq-born, Jordan-raised Layth Sidiq offers “Chalchal,” a song about a pomegranate tree and a lemon tree that carries within it a nation’s longing for independence. The expedition concludes with the 1981 Brazilian classic “O Sal da Terra” by Beto Guedes — recommended by Rio de Janeiro environmental journalist Elizabeth Oliveira — a song that addresses Earth directly as “the most beautiful of the planets,” urging humanity to carry life forward in harmony.

Watch: Giuseppe Gibboni: Inspired by Nature

Learn: GreenAccord (official website)

Read:Jornalismo ambiental em tempos de crise planetária.” Thanks to journalist Elizabeth Oliveira for writing this great account of the GreenAccord meeting.

Nominate: We’re looking for new releases that lift up ecological consciousness. With support from the Gaian Way, we’re giving an award to recognize outstanding ecospiritual music released in the last two years. Re-releases, remasters, and remixes are welcome, and self-nominations are encouraged. Nominations must be submitted by Earth Day, and we plan to announce the award on World Environment Day. The prize includes a cash award of $1,000. Visit the nomination form to make your submission.

Photo: That’s the Sile River flowing through the canals of Treviso. Bart snapped this pic between conference sessions, right behind the Chamber of Commerce.


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