Volunteers comb Dubai beach for litter on World Clean Up Day
Students, conservationists and office workers headed to Umm Suqeim beach early in the morning
Dubai: More than 100 volunteers, including schoolchildren, conservationists and office workers, cleaned up Umm Al Suqeim open beach in Dubai on Saturday, collecting litter for recycling on World Clean Up Day, held on September 15 annually.
Action sport brand XDubai joined forces with sister company Dubai Film, to be among the first in the UAE to commemorate World Clean Up Day with a large scale clean-up of the beach. They were joined by other volunteers, including marine conservation organisation Azraq, Dubai 360, Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling, and Dulsco.
They cleaned up litter and plastics, sorting it for eventual recycling by the Dubai Municipality. The event also included over 40 divers who, led by dive shop Divers Down, participated in a coastal water clean-up, as well as a team of snorkellers who managed the in-water clean-up closer to shore.
Over 60kg of on- and off-shore rubbish was cleared from the beach and water.
Participants in the Dubai event joined millions of people in more than 150 countries worldwide who participated in clean-up activities to commemorate the tenth annual World Clean Up Day.
Mohammad Javad Khoramifar, general manager of XDubai, said: “We are an action sports brand and today [Saturday] on World Clean Up Day, the key word is action. XDubai has both been a supporter of the Dubai community through our venues. As a local brand and active part of the community, we share the responsibility to not only raise awareness, but also take action to make the community a better place for all. This was particularly important during the Year of Zayed and we saw this is as a fantastic opportunity to give back to the community, help raise awareness and support a cause that is so close to many of our athletes, staff members and fans.”
Natalie Banks, manager of Azraq, said: “Oceans make up 70 per cent of the earth’s surface and 97 per cent of its water. Today may seem like one small gesture, but when you see that today’s volunteers are among millions taking action globally on World Clean Up Day, it really does show the power of small actions and working together to clean such a vital part of life: the ocean.”
Aed Adwan, managing director of Breitling Middle East, India and Africa, said: “Our customers are adventurers who value our planet and are keen to play a part in preserving our oceans. With the brand having opened its new regional headquarters in Dubai, the Breitling Middle East family joins millions of volunteers across the globe on World Cleanup Day to advance our mission of maintaining a healthy ocean.”
The initiative follows Breitling’s recent partnership announcement with non-profit organisation Ocean Conservancy, an NGO dedicated to leading the global fight for a healthy ocean and clean beaches.