In 2020 we were forced to pause by an invisible virus. This brought countless consequences to the environment , and to the sonic environment in particular. New acoustic horizons emerged, signaling times of unquietness and global change, and requiring our listening awareness to evolve.
The theme for 2021 “The Unquiet Earth” is an invitation to reflect on and engage with the constant murmur of the Earth, sounds beyond the threshold of human hearing, to remind ourselves that we share this mysterious and awesome planet. Small, hidden, subterranean, aerial, underwater, infra and ultrasonic sounds, inaudible to the naked ear, can bring a new, potentially hopeful, perspective on the future of the planet and humanity. Listening as activism encourages us to question our attitudes as listeners as we aim to construct a more inclusive and empathetic new world. Join the unquiet revolution!
Help us share and grow participation in this global community event by adding your information to this short online survey. We welcome everyone to share news, ideas, and questions about participation in the comments of this post, in our Facebook Page and our Facebook Group.
Lisbon-based filmmaker, curator, and organizer Raquel Castro created this year’s theme.
Since its inception in 2010, thousands of people from six continents have participated in World Listening Day. July 18th is the birth date of renowned Canadian composer, music educator, and author, R. Murray Schafer. With the World Soundscape Project he developed the fundamental ideas and practices of acoustic ecology in the 1970s. These inform the current, burgeoning interest in our changing acoustic environment. Thus, World Listening Day honors Schafer’s contribution to understanding our world.
I would like to coordinate a group in Buffalo-Niagara region (New York State) to participate in World Listening Day.
Thank you,
Cynthia