Multi-faith group walking 500 miles to Glasgow ahead of UN climate summit

People of different faiths are setting off for Glasgow this weekend to raise awareness of climate change ahead of the UN's COP26 summit in November.

The group of 40 walkers will be leaving from Parliament Square in London on Sunday.

Some will be walking part of the 500 miles to Glasgow, while others intend to complete the entire route with the aim of arriving in the Scottish city on 30 October, the eve of the COP26 summit.

The walk has been named "Camino to COP", reflecting the centuries-old tradition of pilgrimage. 

Along the way, the walkers will be fundraising and sharing the stories of those affected by climate change, while also encouraging others to make their concerns known and call governments to action. 

The walk is being led by the Extinction Rebellion interfaith alliance called the XR Faith Bridge, which brings together people of different faiths and none. 

"My ethnic roots are in the small Indian coastal state of Goa and I grew up in the Solomon Islands," said Melanie Nazareth, Strategic and Spiritual Lead for Camino to COP.

"What is happening in these two places connects the ecological crisis and the climate crisis straight to my heart.

"The people most affected by ecological and climate breakdown are not being heard. I hope that we can amplify voices like these as we walk the Camino."

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