Diocesan Synod 8 th November 2014

The Diocese of Canterbury Case Studies

The Diocese of Canterbury Green Pilgrimage Network Catherine Lloyd

 Pilgrimage in popular use…

 The word pilgrim is everywhere! Even in your fridge!

  million tourists visit the world’s key religious sites every year (UNWTO)  At least 220 million people go on pilgrimage each year, sometimes more (GPN)  In million Hindus attended the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad  Every year 30 million Sikhs visit Amritsar  3 million Muslims go on the Hajj  Over 200,000 pilgrims walk the Santiago de Compostela each year  20 million Catholic pilgrims visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadelupe in Mexico City each year Pilgrimage data

 But….

 …..running a shrine in India that receives 50 million visitors in a few weeks.. What do you do about  The sewage from 50 million extra visitors?  The rubbish they leave?  The food they eat?  The water?  The transport?  How do you keep the people safe and the tigers unstressed when they tramp through a nature reserve with their noise and lights?  What to do when the idols dipped in the water of the local river kills all the fish? Imagine….

 “ A global network of green pilgrim cities and sacred sites of all faiths” What is the GPN?

 PRACTICAL

 INSPIRATIONAL Photo Credit Mike Sewell

 SPIRITUAL

  Diocese joined the GPN 2013  Period of consultation  Pioneering a new approach for GPN Global  Centre of the European GPN Hub  Local Canterbury Partnership  40+ partners  Launched Oct 3 rd 2014 The GPN Canterbury Partnership

  Learn from other partners, especially in Europe  Assist organisations in the Diocese, especially rural churches along historic pilgrim routes with interpretation welcome and facilities for pilgrims  Form a partnership with a range of organisations  Develop and strengthen partnerships with European pilgrim routes and destinations  Develop co-operative projects in order to apply for European funding Why join the GPN?

  Important trial approach  Growing membership  No membership fee, but we do require action!  Partners in the GPN Canterbury Partnership will be asked to commit to working with at least one other partner on particular projects Being a GPN Partner

 First Actions

 Pilgrimage Map

 Talk by Harry Bucknall

  Bringing together people and organisations with an interest in green pilgrimage to develop projects and find funding  Meeting those that would like to be more fully involved  Developing ideas into useful projects  Sharing information about the GPN Canterbury Partnership  Being involved with other partnerships Partnership & Action Plan

  Strengthening the Partnership, executing the Action Plan  Finding new sources of funding  Developing new local pilgrimage routes based on our rich heritage in the Diocese  Strengthening partnerships around existing routes  Increasing awareness of Pilgrimage in the Diocese  Developing practical ways to help churches and parishes welcome pilgrims and interpret pilgrimage  Developing practical ways to help pilgrims Future Actions

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