Environment Day workshop held in Sohar

Sohar Battery Collection and Sohar University organised a workshop for 40 teachers from government schools of Sohar and Liwa to mark World Environment Day.

Education and awareness are important tools to bring in a culture of ‘reduce, reuse, repair and recycle’ among the Omani public and schools are an important target audience since that is where behaviours are moulded and good practices developed. Teachers being valuable drivers of change who reach out to generations of students were invited for a half day workshop that was conducted in Sohar University. Researchers from the University gave the participants a broad overview of the status of waste generation in Oman and health problems caused by dumping or burning of the same. Representatives of Sohar Environmental Unit presented a session on the environmental impacts of dumping hazardous waste.

The highlight of the workshop was a session by 16 students of Al Batinah International School. European, African, Asian and Australian students from Grade V spoke in Arabic about the various environmental initiatives in their school and the projects that they are currently working on — battery collection, paper segregation, aluminium can recycling and water conservation. Such activities by school children are very important to maintain the fragile eco-system of Oman in general and North Batinah Governorate in particular, which is known for its fertile soil and water resources with farming and fishing being a major source of income.

Dr Hamed al Gheilani spoke about the efforts of the Environment Society of Oman in the areas of biodiversity conservation and reduction of plastic waste. All these sessions inspired the participating teachers to formulate plans of positive environmental action with their students and they discussed these plans during a group activity.

Mohammed al Moqbali, Pro vice Chancellor of Sohar University, distributed the certificates. The University has been a strong supporter of Sohar Battery Collection, a volunteer run project that is sponsored by Sohar Aluminium, Sohar Port and Freezone, Oiltanking Odfjell and Jusoor.