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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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A Doctors' Public Health Poem: "What Future Do We Choose?"

Dr. James Hospedales, Chair of the NCD Partnership, from clip of video, What Future Do We Choose?

“Seven doctors, including an Italian Neurologist, a Spanish Surgical Professor, and a Trinidadian Public Health Director, collaborated in performing a poem, written by a British GP to inspire bold action, in the name of public health, to protect the planet. Inspired by the Letters to the Earth poems, performed by such icons as Yoko Ono and Mark Rylance, Dr. Chris Newman, a GP and ITU doctor at the Nightingale Coronavirus hospital in London, wrote a poem to highlight the similarities between Coronavirus and Climate change. Together with Mercury Prize nominated musician Sam Lee, a volunteer creative team from Argentina, Bangladesh, and UK, and six doctors from around the world, they set about creating a video to celebrate Earth Day 2020.

This video, titled “What Future Do We Choose?”, captures the energy of the current pandemic moment to highlight that our health is inextricably linked to that of the planet and that urgent action is needed.”

Press Release:
Doctors From Around the World Perform a Poem for People, Planet and Public Health