The Marshall Islands, far out in the Pacific, are one of the first places in the world to see the sunrise. Today, as May 5 began to dawn, 350.org supporters lifted up dots to meet the rising sun and held a ceremony to share their hopes and prayers for change. 

As the sun travels across the sky today, it will shine down on a planet already reeling from the climate crisis. The last year has been a hard one for millions of people aorund the world. It was with a heavy heart that we received these photos from people in Pakistan holding dots in front of the “temporary” housing they’ve inhabited since their homes were washed away in country’s devastating 2010 floods that displaced over 20 million people. 

But it will also shine down on people full of hope. We also got a photo earlier today from a group of school children in Johannesburg who formed a giant dot in a community garden that they’re helping tend and nourish.

Images also came in from Lebanon, where 1,000 students made their dots into the wheels of a giant bicycle — they’re calling for more bike lanes to combat air pollution. 

As today is already showing,  we’re all connected to the problem, we’re all connected to the solutions, and we’re all connected together. 

Happy May 5th.