Greeening Pilgrimage

Back in November 2009 at an event organised by the Alliance
of Religions and Conservation commitments were made to greening pilgrimage
cities and routes. The Armenian Orthodox Church, proposed a seven Year Plan to
green the holy city of Etchmiadzin; the Muslims announced a plan for a network
of Al-Kher cities (cities which are ?beneficial, wonderful and beautiful?) and
that Medina in Saudi Arabia would become a Green Pilgrim City alongside nine
other Muslim cities; the Jewish Seven Year Plan proposes greening Jerusalem so
that a place that is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims around the world becomes
a model of sustainability.

In
November 2011 at Assisi, a pilot green pilgrimage place the Green Pilgrimage
Network was launched. The green pilgrimage handbook is available on line

The Network will inspire Pilgrims to:

    prepare mindfully
for their pilgrimage…

    travel responsibly
in the spirit of their faith…

    choose sustainable
tourist agencies…

    eat and drink
sustainably and ethically…

    minimise their
water use…

    dispose of their
rubbish… and pick up after others…

    support a fund to
green the city they are visiting…

    bring greener
ideas for living home with them…

 

The Network will inspire Pilgrim Cities to:

    receive and
accommodate pilgrim visitors sustainably…

    green their
religious buildings, energy and infrastructure …

    safeguard their
wildlife and parks…

    create a green pilgrim fund…

    create ?green
maps?, highlighting the environmental projects,

    achievements and
opportunities for volunteering in their cities…

    bring faiths and
local authorities together to create sustainable cities…

    provide clean,
accessible drinking water …

    improve sanitation
for pilgrim routes…

    work with tour
operators, airlines and other transport providers to provide carbon neutral
travel…

    spread greener
living habits among their own population…

    publicise their status as Green Pilgrim
Cities…

    celebrate their
pilgrims and green their faith festivals …

    work with, and
support, each other in greening initiatives…

Read more

Green Pilgrimage Network to launch in
Assisi