SHARJAH 24 January 2020: Divers taking part at the latest Sharjah Museums Authority’s annual marine clean-up campaign, which falls under the authority’s social responsibility initiative “Because We Care”, have successfully removed 440 kilograms of marine waste from the bottom of Khalid Lagoon in Sharjah.
As many as 42 divers and a crowd of volunteers from Sharjah Aquarium and Emirates Diving Institute participated in the 10th campaign which kicked off recently from Khalid Lagoon.
The scheme, held in partnership with Bee’ah, Sharjah Police, Sharjah Municipality and Emirate’s Diving Institute, resulted in fishing out waste including plastic, bottles, glass, tyres, and wood among other different types of debris, said Wam.
“The campaign is aimed at cleaning up the coasts of Sharjah while simultaneously instilling an understanding of the importance of preserving marine environment,” said Rashid Al Shamsi, curator of Sharjah Aquarium.
He noted that this year’s location was specifically chosen to further engage people.
“We have decided to focus on Khalid Lagoon in an effort to reach out to as many people as possible because it’s an attraction that witness heavy footfall,” he added.
The campaign was accompanied by a number of workshops that were aimed at teaching children how to upcycle plastic waste and transform it into artworks, while educating pupils about the importance of protecting nature.
Since 2016, the marine clean-up campaign had successfully removed a total of 13.7 tonnes of waste from different shores in Sharjah emirate and organised accompanying workshops targeting all community members.
