On April 22, more than one billion people around the globe participated in Earth Day 2012 and help Mobilize the Earth™. People of all nationalities and backgrounds are voicing their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection.

Together we will stand united for a sustainable future and call upon individuals, organizations, and governments to do their part.  People who atrtended a local Earth Day event and joined one of the Earth Day campaigns assisted in collecting  "A Billion Acts of Green®" and elevated the importance of environmental issues around the world.

Clinton Global Initiative

The mission of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is to inspire, connect, and empower a community of global leaders to forge solutions to the world's most pressing challenges.  The 2001 CGI Annual meeting just took place in New York City where many key global leaders gathered to make major commitments to improve the lives of 300 million people around the world.  When fully funded and implemented, these commitments would be valued in excess of $63 billion.

Elizabeth Taylor may be gone, but her jewelry is still turning heads. The actress's personal collection of jewels went up for auction Tuesday night -- and fetched a record $115 million.    A pearl, diamond and ruby necklace known as La Peregrina, a gift to Taylor from Richard Burton in 1969, sold for a record $11.8 million.

Christie's, which conducted the auction, had estimated the necklace would sell for $2 million or $3 million. Burton paid $37,000 for it. A 33.19-carat diamond ring, which was projected to go for $2.5 million to $3.5 million, sold for $8.8 million. Eighty pieces from Taylor's jewelry collection were auctioned Tuesday in New York, with the remaining 189 items to go Wednesday. Christie's has already blown past the $30 million it predicted as the total sale price. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Bartali has earned respect for his work in helping Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazis during the time of the Italian Social Republic. His humanitarian story emerged in December 2010, ten years after his death, when it was revealed he had hidden a Jewish family in his cellar and according to one of the survivors, by doing so saved their lives.  It is estimated that he helped saved more than 800 Jews during World War II. 

Gino Bartali (July 18, 1914 - May 5, 2000)

Bartali was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice (in 1936 and 1937) and the Tour de France in 1938 and 1948.

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill shortly before midnight on Friday June 24th, 2011, almost 42 years to the day that the modern-day gay rights movement was born amid violent encounters between police and gay activist at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village area of  New York City that took place on June 28, 1969.   

The Stonewall riots sparked the equal rights movement for homosexuals in the United States and has served as an inspiration all around the world.  Gay Pride is being celebrated with parades and marches all around the world during the month of June.  

Gay activists are hoping this historic vote in New York will help regain momentum in other U.S. states and abroad.