The People's Pilgrimage: Meet the man who’s walking from Philippines to Paris

The 2015 edition of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) is scheduled to be held in Paris, France. The conference which starts on 30th November, becomes all the more significant considering the objective is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all nations of the world.

The importance of this conference is not lost on Yeb Sano, who is walking from his hometown to Paris to attend the conference.

Sano, the Philippines Climate Commissioner made headlines in 2013 during the Warsaw Climate meeting when he was moved to tears due to the lethargy in the negotiating hall.

His breakdown came at the heels of his country experiencing the horrors of Typhoon Haiyan, which had left a trail of devastation across his hometown Tacloban, and had affected everyone he knew. He himself wasn’t aware if his family was still alive.

As a demonstration of his personal anguish, he fasted until the end of that meeting, triggering a worldwide movement #FastForTheClimate, inspiring thousands to follow his example.

Sano started his journey from Philippines to Paris in May as a part of the 'People's Pilgrimage'. He travelled to Australia, and to hurricane-ravaged Vanuatu in the Pacific, meeting and walking in pilgrimage with holy men and women, all determined to remind us to do all we can to protect this precious planet.

His pilgrimage also brought him to India last month due to the efforts of the Clean Kumbh Initiative by the Bhumi Project. While here, he visited the survivors of Cyclone HudHud, met holy leaders in Varanasi and Kumbh and also made his way to one of India’s flagship solar farms.

At Nashik, he offered prayers along millions of worshippers, interacted with religious heads, addressed the media, all with the aim of raising awareness for climate change and quick action in the near future

Sano’s two-week stay in India also saw him making mini-pilgrimages to various locations while meeting religious and environmental leaders who’re doing their bit to ensure issues regarding climate change are addressed.

This month, he is set to participate in a bicycle pilgrimage in Africa, continue his pilgrimage in North America and then depart from the Vatican City on 30 September to walk through Italy, Switzerland and France to Paris with a group of 26 fellow pilgrims, arriving just in time for the first day of the UN conference.

Sano is of the belief that as we, humans are the ones who were behind the climate change, hence we should also be the very ones solving the crisis.

To know more about his pilgrimage log on to www.peoplespilgrimage.org

Image credit: @YebSano