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Environment, health issues top priority

DUBAI - The Environment and Health Awareness Office at the Dubai Municipality distributed last year 4,954 publications, booklets, and posters on various environmental and health issues to schools, universities, and the general public, according to the office's annual report for the year 2003, released recently.

The publications and posters addressed a variety of issues pertaining to environment conservation and health, particularly on subjects such as sunstroke, healthy environment for children, and the ozone layer.

The office also organised various activities and cultural programmes for children of different age groups and according to an annual plan. Some of the events observed by the Office included the National Environment Day, during which an Envirospellathon competition was launched; the World Water Day on March 22, the Municipalities Week from April 5 to 9, the World Health Day on April 7, Planet Earth Day on April 22, the World Anti-Smoking Day on May 31, the World Labour Day on May 1, the World Environment Day on June 5, the Ozone Day on September 16, the Clean Up the World Day and many other similar events.

During these events the office conducted numerous activities such as sporting events, field visits, open art galleries, colouring contests, municipality employees' awareness programmes, and workshops.

Locally, the office participated in the DSF 2003, in which it had a stall selling recycled products to promote environmental cause at Al Safa Park, and also participated at the Night Market at Children's City at the Creekside Park.

Some 2,816 students attended six lectures on recycling, four on environmental protection awareness, three on the importance of trees and green areas, one on water resources management, two puppet shows on environment, one on local flora and fauna, five on protecting the ozone layer, and seven on cleaning up the world. The office also conducted nine workshops on recycling, while 3 workshops on food were also organised.

The Envirospellathon commenced on February 9, and was organised by the office in co-ordination with the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The event had participation from a total of 43 public and 36 private schools, which together brought together 19,251 students - 6,789 from government schools and 12,462 from private.

According to the report the Envirospellathon awarded the title of Environmental Ambassadors to 740 students for their performance, while 12,249 were rated as excellent. Some 5,838 other participants also passed the programme. Prizes and certificates were given away to all participating students, while the Environment Ambassadors were given certificates, posters, badges, and school bags.