Heartfulness Institute Makes a Prominent Representation At COP27 Conference In Egypt

Press Release

• 15-11-2022

‘Let us be driven by a love for Nature,’ says Daaji – the visionary behind the “Forests by Heartfulness” initiative.

Hyderabad, India 14th November 2022: Hearts Institute makes a landmark representation at the COP27 (Conference of the Parties) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. As the 27th edition of the conference, the focus will be on ‘soil health’ as a priority topic which through its traditional ‘4 per 1000’ Day on the sidelines of COP27 agenda is bringing Heartfulness Institute also on its platform. Forests by Heartfulness – an initiative of Heartfulness institute is particularly at the core of Heartfulness initiatives as one of the prominent participants at the conference. Representatives of Heartfulness Institute - Dr. Ananya S. Rao, Ms. Eva Vandest, and Ms. Kashish Kalwani – will also introduce a unique Heartfulness meditation session.

Forests by Heartfulness (FBH) is conserving endemic tree species in India wherein there are 18 nurseries, millions of trees covering over 700 species. FBH is a grassroots movement giving lungs to the country, creating urban forests, their most prominent experiment is creating rainforest at the Headquarters of Heartfulness Institute – Kanha Shanti Vanam. This was an unprecedented feat owing to the transformation from an arid land Heartfulness achieved through various technologies, soil-restoration and other methods. An in-house state-of-the-art tissue culture lab has been rescuing the endangered tree species from the Indian subcontinent. FBH is working with individual donors and CSR partners to create a huge impact across the length and breadth of the country, encouraging corporates like ZScaler, Bosch, TAPSO, and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCB) etc  joining hands with FBH.

The goal of Forests by Heartfulness is to plant at least 30 million native and endemic trees across India by 2025 under the guidance of agro-forests and climate experts. In one of the plantation-drives 64,000 trees in one day across 64 cities was accomplished in the year 2019 by FBH through its volunteers and partnering organizations. The saplings are nurtured and effectively monitored through optimal growth conditions that ensure a high survival rate. Forests by Heartfulness also aims to give off a good share of the plantlets to the forestry department, NGOs, and other plantation bodies that are involved with afforestation in India. FBH also is in the process of creating India’s mega-biodiversity, saving endangered and rare species, creating medicinal gardens, and a sanctuary for wild birds and reptiles. The biodiversity projects involve developing sacred groves including gardens of edible wild herbs and shrubs, edible wild fruit and tubers, medicinal plants for primary healthcare and wellness, skincare, and haircare.

Through the consecutive years since 2016, the headquarters of Heartfulness – Kanha Shanti Vanam – has been bestowed the prestigious ‘HARITHA MITRA’ (Green Friend) award owing to these green initiatives. Since June 2021 Heartfulness Institute joined the 740 members of 4p1000 initiative to promote “Healthy Soils for a Healthy Planet” and share its experience developed the last 4 years at Kanha Shanti Vanam through the project “Forest By Heartfulness”. This short documentary on Youtube shares the origin story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_03SIa0Rpk&t=5s

“Addressing this issue of soil health as an absolute priority to achieve all the objectives of the major United Nations conventions on climate change, combating desertification and preserving biodiversity, must be placed at the top of the international agenda. This is a task to which the International Initiative "4 per 1000" is particularly committed in 2022, a year in which the Conferences of the Parties of these three conventions met, as they do only every two years,” said Dr Paul Luu, General Secretary of the 4p1000 initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Kamlesh Patel ‘Daaji’ – Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission said, “It is a momentous occasion for Heartfulness Institute to make a representation at COP of the United Nations framework Convention on Climate Change. It has been our constant endeavour to make a difference to the society in multiple ways – from conservation to wellness to sustainable livelihoods. Finding an equilibrium has been at the core of our activities and we encourage each of you to achieve that kind of balance as the underpinning force to all your undertakings. Heartfulness meditation is the key to this. Our motto is to raise generations of peoples to tread a path that will only benefit the societies and communities of the world at large. We must be driven by a love for nature and leverage technology. The world must come together for collective good, and rest assured; Heartfulness Institute will do all that it can in the contributory efforts.”

Next February 7th to 10th, the 4 per 1000 initiative, jointly with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Alliance Biodiversity International-CIAT (ABC), Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), and Heartfulness Institute, proposes to organize a Regional Think Tank meeting involving expertise across Asian countries in interdisciplinary areas of Soil C and climate change mitigation, focusing on soil carbon sequestration in relation to the initiatives like “4 per 1000” and other program by the governments in the region.

Registration link to the ‘4 per 1000’ day 2022 event at Sharm El Sheikh and location details are as below:

•            Registration link: https://4p1000day2022.sciencesconf.org/registration

•            Location site: Tropitel, rue Al Sultan Qabos-Mashaba, Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh (Téléphone : +20 69 360 0570)

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