Winners of annual eco competition named

With supplied pictures.

Abu Dhabi: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) announced the winners of the 13th Annual Environment Competition, launched earlier this year with support from the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC).

The competition, designed to increase awareness on environmental issues in different schools and universities across the United Arab Emirates, saw the highest level of participation since its launch in 2000, with 2,087 submissions from 647 schools and universities.

Encouraging people to reduce their ‘foodprint’, the competition draws attention to the social and economic implications of food waste, and its link with the loss of biodiversity, water and energy. This year’s theme “THINK. EAT. SAVE: Reduce Your Foodprint”, is aligned with the United Nations theme for World Environment Day, observed annually on the 5th of June.

“This competition is not only an effective way to raise awareness, but to ensure today’s generation is well equipped to become the environmental ambassadors of tomorrow,” Fozeya Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, Director of Environmental Outreach at EAD, said.

The number of participating students in the competition has significantly increased, reflecting a fourteen-fold increase in the number of entries within the past thirteen years.

In April, EAD showcased the student’s creative work and outstanding competition entries at an exhibition held at its headquarters in Al Mamoura building. Competition categories included drawing and colouring, short story writing, photography, a public awareness campaign, debate, and research. In the drawing and colouring category, kindergarten students submitted their paintings titled ‘Do not waste food!’ while elementary students’ paintings focused on ‘Food waste hurts nature’.

In the short story category, the participating students submitted stories about ‘The journey of wasted food’, while primary school students were asked to take pictures of food waste to highlight the importance of minimising the waste produced. In other categories, students from grades seven to nine organised a public awareness campaign on reducing food waste in their school.

High school students were challenged to participate in a debate and a research paper surrounding the theme of food waste and its implications on society.

University students designed public awareness posters highlighting the ‘Depleting water reserves and rising organic wastes’, and wrote newspaper articles about ‘The food waste increase in the UAE’.

The panel of judges selected winning entries across seven categories:

• Hind Abdul Aziz Shmed from Al Salam Kindergarten in Sharjah and Fathimathul Salyana from Leens Private School both won at the Kindergarten level in Drawing and Painting.

• Khalifa Rashid Al Zaabi from Omair Bin Yousef School in Abu Dhabi and Bakht Bil from Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Arab Pakistan School in Abu Dhabi both won in Short Story Writing in grade one – grade three levels.

• Saeed Mohammad Mubarak from Bin Dhaher School in Ras Al Khaimah and Omeesha S. Krishnan from Gems Winchester School Academy in Abu Dhabi both won in Short Story Writing in grade four - grade six levels.

• Florinda Mae S. Morales from Twenty First Century Private Academy in Abu Dhabi and Israa Saad Mohammed from Aisha Bint Othman Secondary School in Sharjah both won in photography in grade seven - grade nine levels.

• Fatima Taha Rajab, Fatima Ali Ashban, Yasmeen Ali Yaseen, Hamda Mohammad, Zaman Ahmed Kareem from Manar Al Iman Private School in Ajman and Naicy Shiji Thakki, Megan Noronha, Shivangi Jha, Goltay Rufa, Nashita Kazim from Abu Dhabi Indian School won in awareness campaign in grade seven – grade nine levels.

• Mawadda Osama Theeb from Al Thaqafa School in Sharjah and Maitha Salem Al Memari from Emirates National School in Abu Dhabi both won in debate in grade ten – grade twelve levels.

• Omar Ridhwan Al Khoory, Mohammad Ahmad Badr, Mohammad Sabir Qotb, Mohammad Molhim Mohammad, Mohammad Mousa Madina from Khalifa Bin Zayed School in Abu Dhabi won in Researched Report in grade ten - grade twelve levels.

• Reuben Philip Shaju, Mathew Vincent, Sashank Manda, Anirudh Janardhan from Our Own English High School in Sharjah won in Researched Report in grade ten - grade twelve levels.

• Adelaida Garcia Ferrer from Paris Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi, Mariam Salem Al Kaabi from the UAE University in Al Ain, and Heela Daudzai from the American University in Dubai were the winners in Posters category challenge.

• Rashed Ibrahim Al Nuaimi from the UAE University in Al Ain, Jannatul Fordouse from Abu Dhabi University, and Abeer Al Maazmi from Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi were the winners in Newspaper Article.

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