Qatar Promotes Green Culture As Way Of Life

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Following is a report by the Qatari News Agency (QNA) as part of FANA's cultural file



DOHA, Aug 31 (KUNA) -- Qatar is promoting a culture of green culture and sustainability, within its National Vision 2030, as a way of life through initiatives aimed at making the green environment a vital part of the lives of citizens and residents.


All government agencies and ministries in Qatar celebrate National Environment Day, on February 26 of each year, to draw attention to the importance of developing technologies to confront climate change and embrace clean energy.


Qatar is eager to launch many national initiatives to increase green spaces in the country, starting with the Million Tree Initiative, and the Ten Million Tree Initiative, which aim to improve the quality of life in cities and achieve sustainable development.


Qatar has also beccme the first country in the world to have all its municipalities awarded the title of "Healthy City" by the World Health Organization, as well as seven Qatari municipalities joining the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.


For the first time in the Middle East and North Africa, under the slogan "Green Desert, Better Environment", Qatar hosted the Expo 2023 Doha International Horticultural exhibition for six months, from October 2, 2023 to March 28, 2024.


It highlighted the latest and most important Qatari innovations and efforts in the field of modern agriculture, greening cities, and vegetation cover.


Haifa Al-Otaibi, Director of Corporate Communications and Events at Expo 2023 Doha confirmed in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Expo has succeeded in instilling a green culture in society.


The Expo also succeeded in attracting four million visitors and organizing more than 7,000 diverse events on sustainability, which included 54 national celebrations, 124 conferences and seminars, 198 events for Qatari ministries and government agencies.


Also included are 601 theatrical performances and 1,727 workshops related to the Expo themes of sustainability, environmental awareness, modern agriculture, technology and innovation in the field of agriculture.


Al-Otaibi stressed the need to encourage local projects that support sustainability and green innovation, including the use of sustainable materials and renewable energy technologies, noting that education and awareness are two essential pillars in this regard.


The Quranic Botanic Garden (QBG) introduces a new concept to the world of botanical gardens, as it is the first of its kind in the world that cultivates the plants mentioned in the Holy Quran and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet.


QBG exhibits and conserves the plants mentioned in the Holy Quran and the native flora in Qatar, it also aims to enhance and spread knowledge about these plants, the terms associated with them, and the principles of their maintenance and preservation.


Since its launch in 2008, the QBG has been keen to establish a green culture in the Qatari community, as the garden hosted the United Nations campaign to plant a billion trees by planting trees in Education City in 2010.


In a statement to QNA, QBG Director Fatima Al-Khulaifi said that the main objectives of the campaign were to raise awareness about the importance of trees, the need to plant them for their environmental benefits, and to educate the community on how to plant and care for them.


QBG extends over a green oasis in the heart of Education City in Doha, it contains more than 77 plant species over an area of 25 thousand square meters, and includes 1700 trees and 15 thousand shrubs and herbaceous plants, making this garden the ideal spot for families and garden lovers.


"A Flower for Every Spring" program, which was launched in 1999 was officially integrated into the QBG programs in 2016, it aims to instill environmental values in present and future generations to achieve a sustainable environment.


Dr. Saif Ali Al-Hajri, Head of the program, explained that the program's message is to discover the beauty of the homeland, and to enhance positive behavior towards the environment among young people, and to increase community awareness of the importance of preserving it from deterioration and desertification.


In addition to developing innovative and creative capabilities in the fields of sustainable development and encouraging industrial and economic activities to adopt the concept of green industry.


One of the pioneering community initiatives is Qatar e-Nature, it is a website and an interactive application for smartphones that sheds light on the rich diversity of the environment in Qatar with the aim of supporting the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.


The website and application contain detailed and documented information about birds and their sounds, plants, insects, mammals, reptiles, marine life and nature reserves in Qatar. (end)
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