Churches encouraged to observe 'Green Sunday' on June 5

Churches in India are being encouraged to observe June 5 as 'Green Sunday' in commemoration of the World Environment Day.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) is urging churches to conduct special prayers, sermons and intercessions on World Environment Day which falls on Sunday.

World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action.

WED celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

As the apex body of Protestant and Orthodox churches in India, NCCI is urging churches to have special events like exhibitions, candle vigil, essay and pamphlet distributions after the worship to contribute to environmental awareness

India will be hosting the celebrations for this year's World Environment Day for which the theme is: 'Forests: Nature at your service'.

"This year fortunately, the WED falls on Sunday, so the Members are encouraged to observe this day as 'Green Sunday'," said Christopher Rajkumar, Secretary of NCCI Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation. Commenting on the theme, he said, " God almighty has created forest to liberate the human and other cosmic communities from ecological and climate catastrophes. Forests serve as life giving and life caring agent of God."

This is the first time ever India has been a global host of World Environment Day. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: "Over close to the 40-year history of WED, India's cities and communities have been among the most active with a myriad of events undertaken across the country each and every yearâ€"so it is only fitting that this rapidly developing economy is the host in 2011."

India has the seventh largest land mass on the planet, about 3.28 million square kilometers. But due to population increase, industralization and the massive intensification of agriculture, the country faces serious environmental challenges. The problems include deforestation, pollution, loss of water resources and wildlife trade.

The celebrations in India on June 5 are part of thousands of events taking place around the globe.