Expressnews
November, 2024: The Mata Amritanandamayi Mandir Trust Signs MoU with Green Destinations.
Mahabalipuram is on its way to becoming India’s first green tourism destination through a collaboration with Green Destinations, a Netherlands-based organization promoting sustainable tourism in over 80 countries. The Mata Amritanandamayi Mandir Trust formalized this initiative by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Green Destinations during the inauguration of World Heritage Week.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, by Mahesh Gopalakrishnan, Project Director of the Mata Amritanandamayi Mandir Trust, and Albert Salman, President of Green Destinations.
This partnership will enable Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to adhere to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) guidelines, making it the first such site in South Asia to achieve the Green Destinations certification. This recognition is anticipated to set a significant benchmark in sustainable tourism for Tamil Nadu and India, further elevating the country’s standing on the global tourism map.
Aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this initiative aims to balance sustainable practices with the preservation of Mahabalipuram’s cultural and historical heritage. The Green Destinations certification will mark a major milestone in realizing this vision.
The signing ceremony was held at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Amritapuri campus and coincided with the inauguration of World Heritage Week celebrations. Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat officiated the ceremonies, alongside key dignitaries such as Dr.Balakrishnan Shankar (Dean, Engineering) Brahmachari Achyutamrita Chaitanya (Principal, Amrita School of Spiritual and Cultural Studies), Brahmachari Vishwanathamrita Chaitanya (Head, Corporate & Industry Relations), Dr. M. Nidheesh (Principal, Amrita School of Physical Sciences), Mahadevan Parasuraman (South Asia Coorinator, GReen Destinations), Brahmachari Binoj Chandran and, Mr. Mahesh Gopalakrishnan.
After the event, Honorable Minister Shekhawat met Amma, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and the Amritapuri Ashram.
