Bid to promote environment awareness

In a bid to promote environment awareness among youngsters, the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) has organised a two-day seminar on environment awareness for teachers of schools under the Sharjah Educational Zone at Qasba Canal.

Abdul Aziz Al Midfa, EPAA director, said: "The authority's environment programme this year focused on the role academicians can play in creating environment conscious generations. We believe teachers can produce for us an environment friendly people who can keep our country clean and make it a good place to live."

The seminar which started yesterday is organised in cooperation with Sharjah Cooperative Society and Sharjah Educational District and is expected to end today.

The event targets academicians to help bring environmental issues to youngsters' attention and promote awareness among them. It hosts a number of environment experts who will lecture on the importance of protecting the environment, and today's and tomorrow's challenges.

As part of its strategy to further pursue its environmental programmes, the EPAA continues to involve institutions from both private and public sectors to support and address environmental issues and promote awareness among the public.

Dr Shubbar Al Wadae, head of the Awareness Environmental Education Section of the EPAA, stressed the need for cooperation and exchange of views with different institutions.

"The support of these institutions is essential for the authority to pursue its environmental projects and awareness programmes," Al Wadae said.

"The support of institutions will help us reach remote areas and continue conducting our programmes on environment. We need to form a partnership to face our common environmental challenges today and in future," he added.

Salim bin Zayed Al Tineiji, director general of Sharjah Educational District, urged teachers to benefit from the seminar to help promote environment awareness among youngsters.

He also urged teachers to focus on correcting students on environmental malpractice as well as exposing them to the consequence of damaging the environment.

In a bid to promote awareness among all social sectors, Al Midfa said the authority has been conducting workshops and seminars in coordination with public and private departments on environment issues.

Last year, an environment awareness programme was conducted for public department staff. This year, the authority's awareness programme targetted academicians - including the annual environment programme for students - while next year it will target private sector staff.

Teachers were provided with manuals to help them carry out awareness programmes at schools. Participants are to be awarded certificates at the end of courses.