More than 250 people came together for a recent beach cleanup initiative at Al Bahya Beach - Al Sadr Slipway in Abu Dhabi, who collected an impressive 961kg of waste and transformed the shoreline.
Passionate community members, along with students and employees of participating organisations, were a part of the initiative hosted by Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, and Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center—the largest dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return centre— in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi.
Participants learned about the environmental challenges posed by ocean waste, its impact on local wildlife, and the importance of waste reduction and proper disposal methods by the educators of Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center who were stationed around the location. To showcase the significance of each volunteer’s contribution, the team guided participants through sorting and weighing the collected waste, demonstrating the tangible impact of their efforts.
“We are delighted to see the community band together and preserve our beautiful coastline,” said Taghrid AlSaeed, Executive Director of Marketing, Communications & Events at Miral. “Our sustainability efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering positive, long-term value to the communities in which we operate, in line with the core values of our Group Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy. Through initiatives like this beach cleanup, we aim to promote the importance of environmental conservation while engaging the community to become our sustainability partners. We are proud to co-host this initiative with Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, showcasing the vital role of collaboration when addressing environmental challenges.”
Initiatives engaging the community and raising awareness on important challenges faced by the marine environment are part of the centre’s core missions, said Dr Elise Marquis, Director of the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center. “More than the clean-up itself, we are giving keys to the community for a more sustainable life with tips that everyone can use in their daily life to help protect the marine wildlife of the Arabian Gulf. This morning, each volunteer received a reusable water bottle and is encouraged to use it every day. Such individual action is crucial to reduce the number of plastic bottles and plastic caps ending up on our beaches and impacting the delicate balance of our ocean by slowly degrading into microplastics.”
Located on Yas Island, the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center is the largest dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation, and return centre in the region. The state-of-the-art facility includes a research and rescue operation, a veterinary hospital, and a dedicated aquaculture facility. Led by a team of marine scientists, zoologists, and experts in animal care, the centre plays a vital role in research and conservation in the region.
As part of its commitment to protecting marine life and habitats, the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center hosts frequent community events to raise awareness and encourage public participation in marine conservation.
Aimed at protecting the emirate’s marine ecosystems and mitigating damage caused by ocean waste, the latest initiative promoted environmental stewardship and fostered a culture of sustainability within the community, aligning with the center’s commitment to marine conservation in the region.
The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center is here to help any marine animal in need or at risk. If you spot an animal in danger, call the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) on 800 555.
For more information, visit www.seaworldabudhabi.com
