First International Meeting

Campaign to Protect the Gulf of Mannar:
a Distinct Natural and Cultural Resource Site and
an Ideal Candidate for UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation
25 November - 26 November, London, United Kingdom

GENERAL INFORMATION

A consortium of internationally engaged citizens is pleased to announce that the first international meeting calling for the Gulf of Mannar to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site status will be held in London, United Kingdom. The theme of the meeting is "The Gulf of Mannar's Spiritual and Scientific relevance to the Earth's Changing Environment".

Date: Tuesday 25th - Wednesday 26th Nov. 2008
(see agenda and documents here for more details)

Venue: Linnean Society of London
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BF, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7434 4479
(Visit www.linnean.org for more details)

BACKGROUND

The Gulf of Mannar is located on the southeastern tip of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the world's few remaining hotspots in terms of the exceptional biodiversity of its terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
As an outstanding example of an ongoing geological process, the Gulf of Mannar provides the habitat for rare and endangered plant and animal species, including the threatened green turtle and the dugong.
The sheltered Gulf, free from oceanic currents, also provides the calving grounds for a substantial part of the diverse whale population of the Bay of Bengal.
Around 3,600 species of fauna and flora have been identified in the area, which comprises three different ecosystems - sea grass, mangrove and coral reef. The shallow waters in the area have the highest concentration of sea grass species along India's 7,500 km coastline. Eleven species of sea grass recorded in India are found in the reserve, with the island's surrounding shallow waters harboring three species of seagrass found nowhere else in India. The same shallow waters are also known to have at least 147 species of marine algae/seaweed.
These meadows support complex ecological communities and being among the largest remaining feeding grounds for the globally endangered dugong, are of global significance. Additionally five species of marine turtles, innumerable fish, seahorse, molluscs and crustaceans also feed here.
Culturally and religiously the Gulf of Mannar is an extremely important region. The centuries old pearl and conch shell diving tradition still exists there, the Gulf's limestone reefs forming an essential habitat for the fabled Pearl oyster beds, once the source of fabulous treasures from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
The Gulf is the site of the famous Ram Sethu, or Adam's Bridge, which according to Hindu scriptures (the Ramayana) was created by Lord Rama in order to rescue his wife, Sita. The Bridge also features in later Islamic narratives.

THREATS TO THE GULF OF MANNAR

The Gulf of Mannar is already under severe stress because of the increasing number of industries prevalent on the coast.
The planned Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP) poses an urgent and unprecedented threat to the area. The SSCP involves digging a mid-ocean ship channel to link the shallow water of the Palk Strait with the Gulf of Mannar. If the project goes ahead, it will spell disaster not only for the invaluable biodiversity of the gulf by muddying the pristine, clear waters, but also for the human population who will face the destruction of fisheries and the salination of fresh water wells in the area.
There are serious concerns over the current Environmental Impact Assessments that have been commissioned - to date, these have not taken into account the devastating impacts to marine life and have ignored critical environmental and humanitarian issues, including the livelihood of thousands of fishermen in the region.
Other serious concerns, such as the amount of carbon dioxide that would be released through the disruption of the Miocene limestone base, or the disruption of the freshwater aquifers that lie within the limestone cavities of the region, have yet to be addressed.

OBJECTIVES

This international meeting aims to provide a forum for the growing number of environmental and cultural organizations worldwide to meet in support of an unprecedented international campaign calling for permanent cancellation of the SSCP and urge the Governments of India and Sri Lanka to take steps to have the Gulf of Mannar designated as a UNESCO World Heritage mixed Natural and Cultural site, so vital in the global campaign to preserve biodiversity. The Gulf of Mannar, which includes the culturally and spiritually significant Adam's Bridge, also known as Ram Sethu, fulfills the criteria and requirements set forth in the World Heritage Convention for designation as a World Heritage Site.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

With a shared vision of sustainable development, this meeting will send a powerful message in support of further scientific debate on the issue, and raise the matter of how any development involving trans boundary areas has global repercussions that need to be better addressed.
The findings, conclusions and action plans resulting from our meeting will contribute directly to an effort to designate the Gulf of Mannar designated as a UNESCO World Heritage mixed Natural and Cultural site.

ORGANIZERS

The Living Planet Foundation (USA)
www.livingplanetfoundation.org
Dr Peter Bunyard (UK)
Rainforest Rescue International (Sri Lanka)
www.earthrestoration.org
Both Ends (The Netherlands)
www.bothends.nl
GHRD (The Netherlands)
www.ghrd.org
Rainforest Concern (UK)
www.rainforestconcern.org
Norwich International Consultants (Kingdom of Bahrain)
www.npcbahrain.com

CO-CHAIRS

Four co-chairs will facilitate the meeting:

Peter Bunyard
Peter Bunyard is recognized internationally as a world authority on the Amazon and rainforests and as an expert on climate change. A founding editor of The Ecologist magazine and a Fellow of the Linnean Society, Peter studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge (UK) and Harvard (USA), and is adjunct faculty on the University of Boston Study Abroad Program.

At the request of the Indigenous Affairs Department of Colombia, Peter carried out research into the impact of the 1991 Constitution on the affairs and responsibilities of indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon. He also helped launch the Industry and Environment Review of the United Nations Environment Program in Paris.

A prolific author, he wrote The Breakdown of Climate: Human Choices or Global Disaster, The Green Alternative Guide to Good Living and Health Guide for the Nuclear Age. He co-authored Imperiled Planet: The Politics of Self-Sufficiency, and edited Gaia in Action: A Science of the Living Earth. His latest book, Extreme Weather, was published in the UK in October 2006 (Floris Books) and is to be published in the USA in 2008 (Barnes & Noble).

Prof. Anantanand Rambachan
Anantanand Rambachan is a Hindu-American scholar with a specific focus on interreligous dialogue. He is the Chair and Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College, Minnesota, USA. He has been teaching at St. Olaf since 1985. Rambachan is a Hindu and is the first non-Christian chair of this Lutheran college. He is a member of the Theological Education Steering Committee of the American Academy of Religion, the Advisory Council of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society, University of Victoria, BC, Canada, an advisor to Harvard University's Pluralism Project and a member with Consultation on Population and Ethics, a non-governmental organization, affiliated with the United Nations.

Prof. Rambachan is the author of several books and numerous articles and reviews in scholarly journals. Among these are, Accomplished the Accomplished: The Vedas as a Source of Valid Knowledge in Shankara and The Limits of Scripture: Vivekananda's Reinterpretation of the Authority of the Vedas, The Hindu Vision , Gitamrtam and Similes of the Bhagavadgita. His writings include a series of commentaries on the Ramayana of Tulasidasa. A series of 25 lectures by Prof. Rambachan was transmitted around the world by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

"Prof. Rambachan has a deep and sustained interest in interreligous dialogue and, in particular, the dialogue between Hinduism and Christianity. He has participated in numerous consultations and meetings convened by national and international organizations concerned with interreligious issues. He has been very active in the dialogue programs of the World Council of Churches, and was Hindu guest and participant in the last three General Assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Vancouver, Canada, and Canberra, Australia and Harare, Zimbabwe.

Prof. Rambachan has traveled and lectured in many countries, including Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, India, Canada and the United Kingdom. He traveled to the Vatican to discuss how the ideal of inter-religious cooperation can be translated into action on global problems such as poverty, pollution, AIDS, arms proliferation, and justice and peace for all.

Prof. Rambachan returns to the native country, Trinidad, each year, for public lectures and has been delivering monthly lectures, in Minneapolis, at the Hindu Society of Minnesota, since 1986. In 1989, Prof. Rambachan was awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal, Trinidad and Tobago's second highest national honor for public service. He is currently serving on the Advisory Council, of Tony Blair Faith Foundation and on Advisory Board of The Pluralism Project.

Dr. Ranil Senanayake
Dr. F. Ranil Senanayake is a systems Ecologist trained at the University of California at Davis. He has held many international positions, including Executive Director of the Environmental Liaison Centre International (ELCI) in Kenya, Senior Scientist of Counterpart International in Washington D.C., and senior lecturer at Melbourne and Monash universities in Australia.

In addition to numerous research articles and books, Ranil created the environmental restoration system known as 'Analog Forestry' He has served on the United Nations Environment Program committee for the production of the 'Global Biodiversity Assessment,' and served as a consultant to the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program.

He has also functioned as Organic Production inspector and developed standards for the certification of Responsibly Mined Gold in Colombia, as well as for Forest Garden Products for the International Network for Analog Forestry. He is a diver with interests in marine archaeology, an Ichthyologist and a Herpetologist.

Coming from an old, respected family in Sri Lanka, Ranil's grandfather, F.R.Senanayake, was the freedom fighter accredited with securing the independence of Sri Lanka and the initiator of the Temperance Movement. His granduncle D.S.Senanayake was Sir Lanka's first Prime Minister and his father, C.U.Senanayake, was instrumental in developing the Sarvodaya movement and the National Heritage movements of the country.

Maaike Hendriks
Maaike is a member of the Strategic Cooperation Team at Both ENDS in Amsterdam. Both ENDS strives for a more sustainable and fairer world by supporting organizations in developing countries to fight poverty and to work towards sustainable environmental management. Members of this team keep in contact with strategic partners that Both ENDS works with in the areas of land usage, water management or international capital flows. Important activities include facilitating the exchange of expertise; building networks and alliances; collaborating on political analyses and developing sustainable policy alternatives for lobby and advocacy activities.

MEETING DETAILS

Proceedings will be conducted in English.

SCHEDULE

Day 1, Tuesday, November 25 2008

Day 2, Wednesday, November 26 2008

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Scientists, biologists, environmentalists, economists, NGOs, religious leaders and civic authorities worldwide.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Organizing Committee welcomes you to submit an abstract of your work to be considered for presentation in London. There will be no honorariums or travel fees paid. You will be expected to provide handouts or respond to requests for copies of your paper.

Abstract Submission Deadline
Call for abstracts deadline passed. However please contact us if you are still interested in presenting

For details visit our website: www.livingplanetfoundation.org

LIST OF ATTENDEES ALREADY CONFIRMED

Kingdom of Bahrain
Neil D'Silva, environmental entrepreneur, Chairman Norwich International Consultants
Bali
His Royal Highness Tjok Oka Artha Ardhana Sukhawati, Regent of Ubud
Dr. I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna - Lecturer, Mahendradatta University
India
Dr. C.S.P. Iyer, Emeritus Professor, Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, Trivandrum. Kerala
Ritwick Dutta, Environmental Attorney (The Centre of Environmental Law, WWF India in 1996), author and activist
Kenya
Dr. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 2004
Ms. Joan Sikand, Friends of Nairobi National Park
Mauritius
Somduth Dolthuman, President, Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation
The Netherlands
Maaike Hendriks, Both Ends
Sital Sradhanand, Chairman, Global Human Rights Defence, The Hague
Nizaad Bissumbhar, Global Human Rights Defence, The Hague
UK
Peter Bunyard, scientist, author and environmentalist, founding editor of The Ecologist
Martin Palmer, Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC)
Susan Denyer, ICOMOS-UK
The Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD)
Bankim Gossai MBE, Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan
Anuja Prashar, Transnational Indian Identity (TII)
USA
Prof. Anantanand Rambachan, Chair and Professor, St. Olaf College, Minnesota
Kusum Vyas, Living Planet Foundation, Houston, Texas

COSTS AND REGISTRATION

Both sessions are available to at no charge to invited participants. However advance registration before November 10th is required. Participation in the meeting is at the discretion of the organizers and the chairs.

All participants (except funded participants) are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation. Substantive meeting papers and other announcements will be posted online as they become available. Please consult the "Our Campaign" page at www.livingplanetfoundation.org for additional information.

VISAS

All foreign visitors should carry a valid passport while in the UK. Citizens from some countries may require a visa to enter United Kingdom. This can be issued at the British consulates in their home countries.

OFFICIAL LETTER OF INVITATION

An official letter of invitation, designed to help overcome administrative difficulties in certain countries, will be sent upon request. It must be clearly understood that such letters do not cover any fees or other financial supports. If you require an official invitation please send an e-mail to kusumvyas@sbcglobal.net

DISCLAIMER

The Gulf of Mannar World Heritage Site Organizing Committee has the right, for any reason beyond their control, to alter or cancel, without prior notice, the Meeting or any of the arrangements, timetables, plans or other items relating directly or indirectly to the Meeting. The Gulf of Mannar World Heritage Site Organizing Committee shall not, subject as after-mentioned, be liable for any loss, damage, expenditure or inconvenience caused as a result of such alteration or cancellation.

GENERAL CONTACT

To register or for any inquiries about the meeting, please contact the meeting secretary: kusumvyas@sbcglobal.net

REGISTRATION

If you wish to attend the meeting, please call Anna Karlsson at 0207 229 2093 or e-mail her at info@rainforestconcern.org to confirm your attendance.

MEDIA CONTACT ONLY

Suzanne Evans
Aquarius PR
+44 (0) 208 687 0173
+ 44 (0) 7973 149140
suzanne@aquariuspr.co.uk