Sacred Planet with Gulnaz Khan

In her community of Quispillacta in Peru, engineer Magadalena Machaca Mendieta explains how she has built lagoons to store rainwater during the dry season to help farmers and residents in the Ayacucho region.

Omiwatari, or "Crossing of the Gods," is a sacred phenomenon on Lake Suwa, Japan, where ice forms crack-like patterns. This event, linked to Japanese folklore, symbolizes divine power. It is believed that the god Takeminakata, protector of Suwa, walks across the frozen lake, leaving divine marks. Revered for centuries, the phenomenon is now disappearing due to climate change.

Chinguetti, a historic and sacred site in Islam, holds immense cultural value with ancient manuscripts preserving knowledge in science, math, and history. However, this treasure is at risk due to desertification, rising temperatures, and extreme weather. The Sahel region is warming 1.5 times faster than the global average, threatening Chinguetti's heritage.

Gulnaz introduces us to Mamo Camilo, the spiritual leader of the Arhuaco community of Kutunsama, Colombia. The Arhuaco consider the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta "The Heart of the World." They view themselves as the Older Brothers of humanity, charged with the task of maintaining the environmental and spiritual balance of the planet.

Examine the impact of climate change on sacred places around the world with journalist Gulnaz Khan. Meet faith leaders drawing on ancient wisdom and spiritual resilience to confront the crisis with hope and action in this powerful four-part series.