Oman Information Department wins environment award

The Sultanate of Oman's Information and Awareness Department at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and the Environment has won the prize for environment awareness in the GCC Award for Environment 2000-01 series. The department won the award for its proactive stance in spreading environmental awareness in the Sultanate using a number of innovative and effective channels.

"We run a special page on environmental concerns in the Oman Daily Newspaper, an Arabic daily, twice a month," Aisha Abdullah Al Alawy, Director of the Awareness and Guidance Department, at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Environment, told Gulf News. "We also have a weekly chat show on Oman Television called 'Man and his Environment', which began way back in 1992. We have produced 12 documentaries on the environment; one of these was in coordination with the BBC. A radio programme that deals with the conservation of the environment from the community angle is aired regularly as well."

The department publishes a range of periodicals and books on environmental themes and perspectives. "We also have activities specifically targeting children," said Al Alawy. "They will be responsible for the upkeep of our nation and are our priority sector in any awareness campaign. We use specific supplements and colouring books to get our message across besides holding annual painting competitions for pupils between six and 18 throughout Oman."

Petroleum Development Oman won the prize for the best industrial enterprise with committed environmental standards. A spokesperson for PDO told Gulf News, "This award is an honour. We are delighted that our efforts and our environmental commitment has been recognised." The awards were announced by Jamil bin Ibrahim Al Hujailan, Secretary General of the GCC in Riyadh. The timing couldn't have been better for the Sultanate, which is celebrating 2001 as its Year of the Environment.

"A number of projects and initiatives have been planned for this year," said Al Alawy. One of these is an environmental conference and exhibition, which will be held in Muscat on 4-6 June 2001. The Gulf Eco exhibition and the Eco Entrepreneur conference will deal with environmental issues and perspectives in the GCC region.