SADEQ ALKHOORI (ABU DHABI)
Recognising the weight of carrying the UAE's environmental conservation work into the future, young Emiratis immersed themselves in marine rescue and research at Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre on International Youth Day.
"The future is in our hands, and protecting the world that we live in is our duty," said Rashed Abdulhakim, a UAE University student and intern at the centre.
He urged his peers not to underestimate small contributions: "Anything, even if it is so little that you think it is insignificant, matters. Be hopeful for a better tomorrow."
Abdulhakim was among the young participants who visited the centre on August 10, joining youth councils, the Zayed Authority for People of Determination and the UAE University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Student Club for a closer look at how the facility works to protect life in the Arabian Gulf.
Jawhra Saeed Aljneibi, Vice President of the Zayed Authority for People of Determination Youth Council, said the visit connected young people to sustainability research and rescue efforts, and reflected a belief in youth capability.
"Young people are capable of contributing to sustainability and helping find solutions that can create a real impact in our community," she said, adding that young people need support to pursue the causes they care about, including the environment.
At the Abu Dhabi facility, participants observed rehabilitation and research work firsthand, including examining live plankton from the centre's aquaculture research laboratory under microscopes.
Dr Elise Marquis, Senior Director of Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre, said the visit was designed to give participants hands-on exposure rather than discussions alone.
"What we are looking at is really to give them a proper sense of what we do every day for the environment and for marine conservation," she said.
Dr Marquis said marine wildlife and habitats in the Arabian Gulf are facing pressures that include climate change, rising sea temperatures, pollution and increased turbidity. Because the Gulf is already a harsh environment, she said, changes in temperature and other human-related issues can have a greater effect on marine species and ecosystems.
The centre's research spans Gulf marine ecology, ecosystem resilience, pollution, wildlife health, habitat restoration and aquaculture. A key part of that mission, Dr Marquis said, is to connect young people directly with the marine environment. "We will not protect what we do not know," she said.
She added that the visit was conceived and organised by the centre's own summer interns, who wanted other young people in the UAE to experience marine conservation. "By doing so, they can feel empowered and take active action towards marine conservation and environmental protection," she said.
From Theory to Practice
For Farah Al Diwani, part of the centre's Maharaty Programme, the visit reflected a shift she experienced herself when she moved from lecture halls into the lab.
A biology graduate from UAE University who now works on hammour husbandry, feeding schedules and behavioural studies, she said the internship showed her how theory translates into practice.
"When I came here for my internship, I actually got to physically do the work and understand why that theoretical background was important and how to apply it," she said.
Another young Emirati doing his part is Hamad Mohammed Musabbah Al Shamsi, Vice President of the UAE University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Student Club, whose research focused on seagrass and its resilience to heat.
"Seagrass is a vital plant in the ocean because it is the main food source for dugongs," he said, adding that he hopes both the habitat and the species that depend on it survive into the future.
Al Diwani pointed out that young people need to be hands-on because they will carry conservation work forward. "The whole point of conservation is the intention to do good. You want to do something good for the environment, for your future and for the next generation that's going to come," she said.