Four winners will then receive an award for their innovative environmental approaches by the end of the programme.

Qatar’s Friends of the Environment Centre launched its summer programme on Sunday in a bid to raise environmental awareness among the youth in the country, Doha’s news agency (QNA) reported.

The centre, which falls under the Ministry of Sports and Youth, collaborated with several entities including the Al-Hanzab Reserve and Alazem camp to provide a holistic experience for the youth.

Throughout July and August, the youth in Qatar will get the chance to participate in a number of activities and embark on land and sea trips to get a closer look at environmental conservation.

The programmes kicked off on Sunday with a workshop titled ‘Ideas from Extra Fabrics’, under which girls aged 15 years and above learned how to reuse excess materials to create home decor accessories.

What to expect

The centre will host the “Explore My Footprints on My Plant” workshop on Tuesday for girls aged 15 and above to raise awareness on the importance of gardening and planting goods at home.

Then on 14 July, the entity will take males aged 18 and above to the Al-Hanzab Reserve for the ‘Explore the Wilderness’ session. During the trip, the centre will introduce participants to Qatar’s diverse plants and animal species as well as their role in preserving the food chain.

The centre will then host the ‘Explore My Creativity From My Old Items – The Rag Doll’ event on 17 July, where girls will learn all about handcrafts and recycling old items at home. 

Another session on environmental preservation at home titled “Explore My Footprint On My Plant – From Seed to Fruit” will take place on 18 July, where girls will learn more about gardening.

Male participants will later head to Qatar’s rich waters on 19 July for a session on the importance of preserving marine life while learning about its biodiversity.

According to QNA, the centre will announce more events for August, which will include a month-long competition titled the ‘Council of Ideas’. During the contest, the youth will get to exchange ideas on developing the local land and marine environment. 

Four winners will then receive an award for their innovative environmental approaches by the end of the forum.

The summer programme comes amid ongoing efforts by authorities in Qatar to promote environmental conservation locally.

Under its Climate Change Action Plan, the Gulf nation set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030, with the help of various initiatives and environmental projects like the Al Kharsaah Solar Power Plant.