Bath charity organises eco-summit

Prince Phillip fuonded the ARC charity in 1995

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is attending a major conference organised by a Bath-based charity.

The event, from 2-4 November 2009, has been set up by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC).

Many Heavens, One Earth: Faith Commitments for a Living Planet aims to encourage faith leaders to commit to initiatives to protect the environment.

HRH Prince Philip, who founded the ARC in 1995, is also attending the conference at Windsor Castle.

FAITHS ATTENDING Baha'ism Buddhism Christianity Daoism Hinduism Islam Judaism Shintoism Sikhism

ARC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a unique partnership to help faiths make long-term plans and commitments to the environment just over a year ago.

Between them, the nine faiths attending the Windsor 'celebration', as its organisers call it, represent several billion people.

"With their unparalleled presence throughout the world, the world's religions could be the decisive force that helps top the scales in favour of a world of climate safety and justice for future generations... this event will be one for the history books," said UNDP Assistant Secretary General Olav Kjorven.

As well as highlighting the commitment of world religions to protecting the planet, a huge range of practical initiatives will be announced, including:

• New faith-based eco-labelling standards for Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism
  
• The planting of 8.5 million trees in Tanzania
  
• Sourcing sustainable fuel for India's Sikh gurdwaras
  
• The greening of religious buildings, including making all Daoist temples in China solar-powered
  
• Introducing eco-tourism policies for pilgrimages
  
• Printing sacred books on environmentally-friendly paper

Students and graduates from Bath Spa University, who are on work placement with ARC, have been given key organising roles for the Windsor celebration.

Laura Jackson, who recently graduated with a first in Study of Religions, has written most of the material on ARC's special event website

Lucy Glendinning, in the third year of her Study of Religions course, is organising delegates' security documents and accommodation and will be front of house at Windsor Castle next week, registering them for the summit.

"It's a great honour to be involved in this unique event and obviously a fantastic addition to my degree," said Lucy.

The conference will not just be a forum for words. On Tuesday, 3 November Prince Phillip is hosting a vegan banquet - the first ever to be served at Windsor.

And a variety of performers will provide entertainment during the celebration.

The include an American Evangelical choir, the New Psalmist Baptist Church Choir, which will sing a gospel song specially written for the event.

They have flown in from Baltimore for the conference but before they travel to Windsor the choir will give a special performance of That's What the Cross Would Say at a tiny church in North Stoke, Bath on Sunday.

Hear from members of the choir and Martin Palmer, Secretary General of the ARC, on November 1's edition of Sunday Starts with Trevor Fry on the BBC iPlayer, on-demand for seven days after broadcast.