Duke of Edinburgh’s demise flashbacked Sikh leaders to the time he shared ecological concerns with them

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 12

While the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, breathed his last on Friday, his demise also sparked nostalgia among Sikh leaders who found common cause with him in the endeavour to link religions and environmental concerns. Hailed as a Royal keen on environmental concerns, he also served as president of global conservation organisation and was also WWF’s (World Wide Fund for Nature) international president emeritus.

Punjab Environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal was an invitee at the ‘Many Heavens, One Planet’ celebration held at the Windsor Castle in 2019 by the ARC and UNDP, which saw representatives of various world faiths deliberating on ‘long term commitment plans for protecting the planet’.

In the same year, Seechewal was invited to the Copenhagen conference on climate change, before attending the climate summit he stopped over at the Windsor Castle for the aforesaid event. The attendees were all honoured during a special ceremony there which was hosted by Price Philip with then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

A photograph of Seechewal, Eco Sikh founder Rajwant Singh sharing a moment with the Duke of Edinburgh and Ban ki-moon has also gone viral on social media.

Rajwant Singh, president and founder of Eco Sikh also took to Twitter to condole the recent demise. He wrote, “The Sikh community mourns the loss of Prince Philp. We had worked with him on environmental issues and had presented our plans to fight climate crisis at the Windsor Castle. In fact, Eco Sikh came into being due to this effort! His legacy will live!”

The Sikh community mourns the loss of #PrincePhilip. We had worked with him on environmental issues & had the presented the Sikh plans to fight climate crisis at Windsor castle. In fact @ecosikh came into being due to this effort! His legacy will live! @EcoSikhUK @RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/XP64H5KGV0

— Rajwant Singh (@DrRajwantSingh) April 9, 2021

He also reminisced, “Prince Philip had hosted world’s faiths at the Windsor Castle to present concrete plans to work on environmental issues in 1995 and this meet prompted all to look at their own theology on environment. This was the first time Sikhs joined global environmental effort.”

Prince Philip had hosted world’s faiths at Windsor Castle to present concrete plans to work on environmental issues in 1995 & this meet prompted faiths to look at their own theology on environment. This was the first time Sikhs joined global environmental effort. @guardianeco

— Rajwant Singh (@DrRajwantSingh) April 9, 2021

Clad in his characteristic orange robes (his go-to attire every time), Seechewal, at the 2019 Windsor Castle event shared space with the other religious leaders like the Archbishop Seraphim of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in Johannesburg and Pretoria; the Bishop of London; the Grand Mufti of Egypt, among others.

Later in 2009, Prince Philip again hosted the UN Chief Ban Ki Moon and world faiths at Windsor castle to initiate global action by the world religions on climate. EcoSikh is indebted to Prince Philip for bringing all faiths together on this threat facing the world! @BBCWorld pic.twitter.com/VChonCEylj

— Rajwant Singh (@DrRajwantSingh) April 9, 2021

Speaking to The Tribune, Seechewal said, “It was a rare occasion in which an initiative was taken for the world’s religions and faiths to speak on environmental concerns. The UN invited us all and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted the ceremony and honoured us all at the Windsor Castle. It goes to show the environmental concerns held for him. It is truer than ever that since religious figures are revered and followed, the world religious leaders have a greater responsibility than ever to speak up and work on such concerns. The same thoughts were echoed by the President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, when he visited us at Sultanpur Lodhi. Prince Philip’s demise is a sombre reminder of these concerns.”

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