Sikhs to gift planet Earth 1 million trees to mark 550th birthday of Guru Nanak

Sikhs around the world are taking part in a campaign to plant a million trees as a "gift to the entire planet" as part of celebrations marking 550th birth anniversary of Sikh founder Guru Nanak. The Sikh diaspora has taken on the challenge and tens of thousands of trees have already been planted under the project, which aims to reverse environmental decline and help people reconnect with nature.

These are mostly in India – the majority of the world’s Sikh population lives in the state of Punjab, which is planning to plant 550 saplings in every village – but also in the UK, US, Australia and Kenya, the Gurdian reported. "We want to mark the anniversary in a significant way," Rajwant Singh, the president of the Washington DC-based environmental organisation EcoSikh, said.

“Guru Nanak was a nature lover. He had talked about nature as a manifestation of God and many of his writings talk about how we need to learn lessons of life from nature,” he added. Sikh Union Coventry has started planting native trees, shrubs and flowers such as hazel and hawthorn at Longford Park, and is exploring locations in schools, parks and recreation areas.

“As Sikhs, our connection to the environment is an integral part of our faith and identity. Future generations will benefit from the fruits of our labour, symbolising peace, friendships and continuity for generations to come,” Palvinder Singh Chana, the chair of Sikh Union Coventry, was quoted as saying by the paper.

(With inputs from agencies.)