Doha, Qatar, October 16, 2022: The seventh edition of Qatar Sustainability Week (QSW) 2022 came to a close this Saturday October 15, after a week-long program of sustainability-focused activities, events, and initiatives were delivered across the country by the local community, government and non-government organizations, and businesses. Organized by the Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna), a member of Qatar Foundation, in partnership with strategic, commercial, community, media and gift partners, QSW 2022 saw the highest participation levels in the history of the campaign, with over 440 activations being delivered by 230 partners, to raise awareness about important environmental issues including efficient resource usage, reducing overall waste, and promoting recycling and a sustainable lifestyle.
Reflecting upon this year’s edition, Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director of Earthna said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who took part in this year’s QSW and I am proud that 2022 saw record numbers of participants and activities, and an incredible online response with over two million QSW mentions across several social media platforms. Encouraging local action is at the heart of Qatar Sustainability Week. It is incredibly important to not only raise awareness about issues such as sustainable living and climate change among communities, but to demonstrate the wider benefits that simple daily practices and local action can bring to the environment.”
Speaking about the importance of acting on the lessons learned during the QSW 2022 campaign, Engineer Meshal M. Al-Shamari, Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives and Stakeholder Engagement at Earthna said: “The response to this year’s campaign has been remarkable, however I now call upon all participants and spectators to take what they have learned and experienced during Qatar Sustainability Week 2022, and use this to educate and encourage others in their lives and their communities. Each person who adopts sustainable practices in their everyday life is part of the solution, bringing us one step closer to a brighter, greener, healthier future.”
During QSW, Earthna delivered the ‘Pathways to Sustainability’ Workshop Series on ecology and circular economy in collaboration with a number of partners. The findings and recommendations from these discussions and exchanges will help Earthna to assess and consolidate crucial views and information, provide insights, and formulate policy papers to help Qatar transition towards a sustainable, knowledge-based economy.
Other activities this year included an e-waste recycling drive by Qatar Foundation, week-long educational activities at Al Wakra City, several beach cleanups hosted by the Doha Environmental Actions Project, an upcycled robots and toys by Studio 5/6, a tree planting launch by Verdura Care with an online application at Heenat Salma Farm, a fitness and wellness day by Classtap and the Ministry of Public Health, and a vegan challenge by Enbat Holding. Expo 2023 launched a tree planting campaign with QSW partners. Additionally, Seashore Recycling and Sustainability achieved a Guinness World Record for creating the largest ever word – Qatar – made out of used plastic bottles, which are going to be recycled.
United Development Company (UDC) and Hadiqaa Middle East launched the first community garden for residents of The Pearl Island, which aims to educate people about the importance of biodiversity and sustainability, create more green space in Qatar, and provide a sustainable lifestyle for the Island's residents. Camille Baekelandt, who lives in The Pearl Island and attended the event with her family said: “It's so important that children learn about sustainability. The earth is our home and young people need to understand how they can help to maintain it. Initiatives like the community garden and Qatar Sustainability Week are great as they help to teach children the basics like how to grow and how to recycle.”
Building on the importance of cross-societal collaboration, Dr. Castro de la Mata continued: “I would like to thank all of our partners and contributors for their role in helping to make the latest edition of Qatar Sustainability Week a reality. Sustainability can only be achieved through collaboration between people and organizations from across society, working together to create a movement for change.”
QSW 2022’s strategic partners included the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Msheireb Properties, Qatar Museums, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Municipality, Qatar Rail, Tarsheed/Kahramaa, Qatar National Bank, Education Above All, United Development Company, Seashore Recycling and Sustainability, Qatar Tourism, Microsoft, Expo 2023 and Ooredoo.
This year’s commercial partners include Carrefour Qatar, Lulu Hypermarkets in Qatar, Mega Mart, talabat and Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co, while community partners include Doha Environmental Actions Project, Bedaya, Classtap, Hadiqaa Middle East, Enbat, GWC, Greener Future, Wahab, Engineers Australia, Qatar Natural History Group, Paper Cut, Saad bin Moath Primary School for Boys and Rayyan Water. QSW 2022’s gift partners this year were Verdura Care, Sealine Beach – a Murwab Resort, Salwa Beach Resort, Centara, Magnifique Dame, Nutree, Jouri, Mandarin Oriental, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Conference Center, and Quest, and its media partners were Marhaba and I Love Qatar.
To find out more about Qatar Sustainability Week 2022, please visit: https://qatarsustainabilityweek.com.
Earthna
Earthna is a non-profit policy research and advocacy center established under Qatar Foundation (QF) to inform and influence national and global sustainability policy.
Bridging technical and research expertise with policy advice and advocacy, Earthna will convene a wide community of technical and research experts, government, policy and decision makers, businesses, multilateral institutions, and civil society to generate a more sustainable future.
Earthna runs multidisciplinary programming with a focus on the fields of hot and arid climates, sustainable cities, and sustainable energy, as well as the potential of QF’s Education City as a testbed for sustainable technologies and practices.
Earthna is focused on developing tools, solutions, and policies to improve people’s lives within a thriving natural environment. Working together with our community to co-create and design solutions that utilize our resources and understand our local culture and needs, we deliver a message of hope and impactful action that will strengthen our legacy.
For more information on Earthna please visit: www.earthna.qa
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Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.
QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.
QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa
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For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa