During a dialogue session
Khalifa Award: The role of the family is vital in instilling sustainability in young people
Kholoud Al Qasimi: Outstanding efforts of the Ministry of Education in spreading sustainability and consolidating it in society
Hussein Al-Othman: Scientific research has made prominent contributions to anticipating the future of sustainability
Fatima Al Hammadi: The family is the base of imparting sustainability values to children
Hamid Ibrahim: Sustainability is one of the essential elements of the businesses nominated to win the Khalifa Award for Education
Abu Dhabi: Friday, January 26, 2024
The General Secretariat of the Khalifa Award for Education stressed the importance of family’s message and role in establishing sustainability awareness among young people and future generations through practical practices that the family instils in the children and youth souls of throughout the day related to rationalizing consumption and preserving the environment, natural resources, and wildlife in various parts of the country.
She pointed out that sustainability represents one of the basic pillars with which our wise leadership directed us to designate last year as the Year of Sustainability with the aim of highlighting the idea of sustainability and its role in preserving natural resources for future generations.
This came during the dialogue session organized by the General Secretariat of the Khalifa Award for Education remotely, entitled “The Role of the Family in Consolidating Sustainability,” in the presence of Amal Al-Afifi, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Award for Education, in which the following spoke: Sheikha Kholoud Al-Qasimi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Oversight Sector at the Ministry of Education, and Dr. Hussein. Al-Othman, Acting Dean of University of Sharjah Professors and Students at the Universities of Kalba and Khor Fakkan, and Fatima Al-Hammadi, the winner and her family in the Distinguished Emirati Family category for the 16th session 2023. The session was moderated by Hamid Ibrahim, member of the Executive Committee of the Khalifa Award for Education.
At the beginning of the session, Sheikha Kholoud Al Qasimi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Oversight Sector at the Ministry of Education, stressed the vital role of the education system in enhancing students’ awareness and educating families about the concepts of sustainability in all its environmental, social and economic dimensions.
During the session, Al Qasimi reviewed the efforts of the Ministry of Education to enhance environmental awareness among students and the Ministry’s keenness to involve families in these efforts to work to enhance environmental culture among students, members of administrative and teaching bodies, parents, and all members of society.
Al Qasimi elaborated that the Ministry of Education has been keen to include the concepts of environmental sustainability in school curricula, resources and enrichment activities, and has worked to encourage relevant research and projects in cooperation with the Ministry’s strategic partners at the local and international levels in alignment with the goals of the National Green Agenda 2030 and the National Climate Change Plan 2050. She added that The “Green Education Partnership” initiative was launched by the Ministry on the side-lines of the country’s hosting of the activities of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28), which is based on four axes covering various aspects of the educational process, which include: “Green Education”, “Green Schools”, and “ “Green Communities” and “Green Capacity Building” are part of the Ministry’s efforts to achieve the country’s vision aimed at achieving climate neutrality in the year 2050.
For his part, Dr. Hussein Al-Othman stressed that the family is the foundational source of social upbringing system for its various members, and it is the first tributary of the system of values and good behaviors that should be instilled in the souls of sons and daughters. Among these values, which represent an essential axis in the renaissance of society and its future, comes the axis of sustainability. Which is considered a comprehensive framework that guarantees the individual the enjoyment of natural resources without waste or depletion of these resources, in addition to a forward-looking vision for the future that makes balance and moderation basic pillars in the individual’s approach and daily performance in life.
Dr. Al-Othman further pointed out that higher education institutions have made great efforts in launching research and scientific projects that anticipate the future of sustainability and monitor the challenges it faces as a concept of life. This research has provided a prominent effort in establishing awareness of sustainability among various members of society, an awareness that should take place within a comprehensive framework of the education system, beginning with it. From kindergarten and at the various levels of education, and even within the framework of lifelong learning, which represents a forward-looking concept for a future that guarantees the sustainability of the environment, natural resources and wildlife for future generations.
Fatima Al Hammadi spoke about her family’s experience, noting her and her husband Yousef Al Marzouqi’s support for the family members and their keenness to instil the concept of sustainability as a way of life among the various members of the family.
Al Hammadi said: The family’s keenness to promote the concept of sustainability among its members indicates this family’s awareness and endeavor to raise the quality of life for itself, for the community and the environment around it, as it can make sustainability in all its aspects a way of life so that each member is responsible for the practices he or she carries out. Environmental, and all of this stems from his national sense, national identity, and sense of his role towards the environment. We, in turn, thank the Khalifa Educational Award for their keenness to present these purposeful topics, and sincere thanks for giving us the opportunity as an Emirati family to participate and exchange experiences in this field.
At the conclusion of the session, Hamid Ibrahim stressed the interest of the Khalifa Educational Award, within the framework of its comprehensive mission to spread excellence in the educational field, in the sustainability axis, which represents one of the strong elements in evaluating the nominated works and approving them to win, as sustainability is the road map that should integrate the efforts of various governmental and private institutions as well as individuals. And various segments of society to push them to the forefront of societal concerns.