As part of its mission to further understanding of planet earth and generate impact and solutions for a more sustainable future, National Geographic Abu Dhabi, including National Geographic Kids Abu Dhabi, which is designed to excite and inspire new generations of responsible citizens, explorers, and changemakers, marked Earth Day 2018 with a series of activities with the UAE community. The company, which reinvests 27% of proceeds to help fund conservation and education efforts, concentrates on priority areas and projects that help focus attention, make new discoveries, and bring timely protection to endangered animals, cultures, and ecosystems.
To this end, National Geographic Abu Dhabi teamed up with Emirates Environment Group (EEG) to take the message to schools engaging students around the challenges the region and the world is facing today when it comes to sustainability and impact initiatives and solutions to tackle them. The company screened ‘Before the Flood’, its landmark film about climate change, at private and public schools in Dubai, including Our Own High School Al Warqa’a and Dubai International Academy, to raise awareness and understanding on the effects of climate change.
National Geographic Abu Dhabi also took an active part in the EEG 18th Annual Inter School Environmental Public Speaking Competition on April 23rd, with curated short films showcasing the most pressing environmental issues to over 80 schools from across the UAE and obtaining the pledge of over 500 students present there to do their part in protecting and preserving the earth’s most precious resources.
“Going further starts with the younger generations. At National Geographic Abu Dhabi and National Geographic Kids Abu Dhabi, we pursue impact initiatives and science-based education delivered to both adults and children in an entertaining format. They need to feel like they are part of the process. Together with community initiatives, these empower children to explore, act and make changes to the world they are destined to inherit,” said Sanjay Raina General Manager, National Geographic Abu Dhabi MENA and Senior Vice Presidents, Fox Networks Group
He added that “We are proud to team up with leading organizations such as EEG with an unwavering dedication to sustainability. Our joint efforts are focused on encouraging students to gain a renewed sense of responsibility and an understanding of the small steps they can implement in their homes and their environment to help safeguard and protect the environment.”
“EEG and National Geographic Abu Dhabi share the same mission for sustainability with their century long advocacy work to safeguard our planet across diverse media. To have them join us in spreading awareness will certainly increase the impact of our campaign,” said Habiba Al Mar’ashi, Chairperson of the Emirates Environmental Group. “We are thrilled to have them as corporate members and with us in this important platform to celebrate Earth Day in style,” added Al Marashi.
In an effort to take awareness further, a National Geographic Pledge Wall was erected at the event asking the students to embrace a call to action to take steps to decrease our footprint on the environment.
Aligning with this year’s theme, ‘A Year without Plastic Pollution’, National Geographic Abu Dhabi is also partnering with Al Marai to raise awareness of plastic pollution with new labels branded with the National Geographic Further logo urging consumers to recycle. The Further label is designed to inspire people to be individual pioneers, going deeper in their efforts to understand and improve our world and the effect we have on it.
To round off Earth Day 2018 celebrations, National Geographic Abu Dhabi and National Geographic Kids Abu Dhabi programming will include films that celebrate our planet, raise awareness of critical issues impacting our environment and highlight the works of those pioneering individuals who strive to find ways to protect and conserve our resources.
Launched in July 2009, the free-to-air National Geographic Abu Dhabi invites viewers in the Middle East to re-think the way they see television - and the world - through smart, innovative programming in the Arabic language. Brought to the region by the Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) and National Geographic Channels International (NGCI), the channel is dedicated to understanding and protecting the world, with its worldwide reputation of producing credible and authentic content that fits different viewers’ interests.