Student activists in Qatar launched a campaign to ban single-use plastic bags in the country amid environmental concerns.
Qatar’s Amir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani sent a personal letter to a student-led group at Qatar Academy- Doha (QAD), called Activists in Action, to thank the young activists for voicing concerns regarding environmental problems.
“Recently, we received the highest honour, a personal letter from HH The Amir…. this has led to an unforgettable moment of student empowerment. We are deeply humbled and grateful for the support,” Activists in Action said in a post on Instagram to mark World Environmental Day marked on June 5.
In 2019, QAD’s 5 graders launched a campaign to raise awareness and demand environmental action with hopes to transition to an eco-friendly society that bans the use of single-use plastic bags.
After they learned about the adverse impact of single-use plastic waste, the students set a goal to collect 10,000 names on a petition to be presented to Qatar’s leadership, calling for the country to join the global effort to reduce single-use plastic waste.
To date, Activists in Action have collected more than 7,000 signatures on their petition to ban single-use plastic bags.
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“Dear Qatar Academy-Doha students, I followed the campaign that you had launched during the past year aimed at reducing the use of single-use plastic bags. I would like to express to you my thanks and appreciation for this important initiative, wishing you all the success,” the amir’s letter read.
A video that emerged online showed the moments in which the students read the letter from the amir.
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As part of their campaign, 130 students from Activists in Action covered the school’s walls and floors with plastic bags and plastic bottles to illustrate the amount of plastic waste created by society.
The campaign comes amid worldwide calls for action to address the critical environmental issues facing the planet.
