SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
On the occasion of Earth Day, annually marked on April 22, the Environment Friends Society (EFS) highlighted its vision and mission to promote environmental protection and awareness, noting that its endeavours in environmental conservation align with the objectives of the international day.
In an interview with Aletihad, Dr. Ibrahim Ali Mohamed, the Chairman of the Board of the Environment Friends Society (EFS) said that the Society has been spearheading their mission, “Towards a clean environment for human safety”, since its establishment in 1991, following Ministerial Resolution No. (478).
“The Society is one of the oldest public-benefit associations in the United Arab Emirates, with a wealth of 33 years of volunteer work in the fields of environmental conservation,” Dr. Mohamed said.
The EFS has been embarking on raising environmental awareness in the UAE, addressing environmental threats, finding solutions, and bringing attention of competent authorities to enact environmental laws for future generations, he added.
“We focus on spreading the culture of volunteer work, both in general and in specific areas, while respecting various cultures and nationalities.”
The society allocates 70% of its focus to school students through the Future Leaders Initiative, in addition to prioritising women’s participation, recognising their significant contributions.
Elaborating on partnerships, he said that the society, headquartered in Abu Dhabi at the Saif Bin Zayed Academy for Security and Policing Sciences, have established 25 strategic partnerships with entities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Masdar, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and Bin Ham Group, and others.
Among the initiatives the society launched, the official highlighted environmental awareness programmes, seminars, workshops, and festivals.
“We offer initiatives such as the paper recycling project, as one of our goals is to reduce deforestation.”
Regarding the society’s participation in conferences like the World Future Energy Summit and others, Dr. Ibrahim stated:
“We have been participating in these exhibitions for nearly a decade now. It provides us with an opportunity to engage with the international community, as well as with the private and public sectors in neighbouring countries. We seek to learn from their experiences and expertise, particularly in environmentally friendly initiatives. We aim to codify and implement these initiatives in the UAE, especially within civil society.”