Faith Leaders from across the UK, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, are urging faith communities to plant trees in honour of Her Majesty’s lifetime of service to the nation, through The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative which was launched on Monday.
The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative is a unique, UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is Patron of the QGC and planted a tree in the grounds of Windsor Castle with Her Majesty earlier in the year to mark the start of the project.
In a special video message, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the leaders from the Buddhist Society, the Interfaith Council for Wales, Al-Khoei Foundation, Nishkam Centre, the Church of Scotland, the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, the Hindu Council UK, the Moravian Church of Northern Ireland, and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, encouraged people to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee” in 2022.
As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will highlight and showcase 70 irreplaceable Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.
The QGC project will also create a pilot training programme for unemployed young people aged between 16-24 through Capel Manor College, London’s only specialist environmental college of which The Queen Mother was Patron, to plant and manage trees.
Some of the faith leaders participating in the video message include:
· Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh OBE, KSG, Chair of the Nishkam Group of Charitable Organisations
· Ms Sarwat Tasneem, Al-Khoei Foundation
· Imam Qari Muhammad Asim MBE, Senior Imam, Makkah Mosque, Leeds, Chair of Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board
· Ms Muna Chauhan, Hindu Council UK
