Abu Dhabi: Katika Chopra believes that if humanity does not take environmental conservation seriously, it risks health problems on an unprecedented scale.
"Climate change is a real concern today and the planet's resources are depleting at an alarming rate. This is why we all need to work together to protect the environment," the 17-year-old student from India told Gulf News.
Chopra's classmate Nafisa Maqbool, 16, said: "Small steps like turning off the lights when you leave a room, using water wisely and car-pooling can make a difference, and this is what we want to raise awareness about among our fellow students and residents."
The two students were among young activists at the ‘Our Tomorrow' event held at Abu Dhabi Indian High School with the objective of raising awareness among young children about the importance of leading environmentally-friendly lives.
At the event, a 6,000-tile mural painted by children from across the city to represent a greener Abu Dhabi of the future was gifted to authorities. The tiles had been sold individually to students for Dh10 for painting and, when finished, the tiled mural was displayed at an exhibition which raised Dh63,100 for the Green Abu Dhabi Charity Fund.
Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research, who inaugurated the event, said the Our Tomorrow and Green Abu Dhabi Charity Fund events helped foster a spirit of community participation in environment preservation efforts.
Emirates Wildlife Society, in association with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and the United Nations Environment Programme also highlighted their environment schemes at the event.
