The “Second Arab Environmental Media Conference” adopted the entire month of November for community and media awareness of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflicts by organizing various events in all countries throughout the month, the outputs of which are collected in the Environment Magazine issued by the Kuwaiti Society for Environmental Protection to document the efforts made within the scope of each country in this regard.
Dr. confirmed. Wajdan Al-Aqab, President of the Kuwaiti Society for Environmental Protection, stated that “the Second Arab Environmental Media Conference was organized virtually by the Society via Zoom, in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Environment and Sustainable Development of the General Union of Arab Producers, under the title (International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflicts – November 6). The conference saw participation from Kuwaiti governmental and civil society organizations, as well as environmental, Gulf, and Arab organizations. At the Kuwaiti level, participants included the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the National Guard, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, and the Kuwait Oil Company. At the Gulf level, the GCC Emergency Management Center and experts from Qatar and Bahrain participated. There was also broad Arab participation, represented by the General Secretariat for Environment and Sustainable Development, the Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED), and participants from Palestine, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, and Algeria.“ She commended the environmental protection partners from governmental bodies and civil organizations for their outstanding cooperation with the Society in ensuring the success of the conference and raising awareness of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflicts, a responsibility that falls on the State of Kuwait and which the Society has championed for years. She also praised the role of the Ministry of Information, noting that Kuwait Television responded to the Society’s request to broadcast its documentary film, ”The Environmental Epic,” on November 6. November was her participation in that celebration.
Dr. Al-Aqab explained that the conference included in its agenda eight lectures presented by Kuwaiti and Arab elites from the academics, environmental experts, and heads of Arab and Gulf environmental organizations. She noted that the conference began its activities with the screening of the documentary film (Why November 6), which addressed Kuwaiti efforts related to the conference topic. Then, Dr. Raafat Misak, a member of the association, presented his lecture (An Environmental Overview of the Scorched Earth Technique), reviewing the devastating environmental effects of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. Brigadier General Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Dhafeeri presented a lecture that reviewed (The Role of the Kuwaiti Army in Preserving the Environment), and the Deputy Chief of the General Fire Force, Major General Jamal Al-Blihais, discussed the Kuwaiti experience in extinguishing oil wells. Engineer Muthanna Al-Mu’min from the Kuwait Oil Company discussed (The Kuwaiti Environmental Remediation Program – Past, Present, and Future).
She added: “Dr. Saif bin Ali Al-Hajri, the International Ambassador for Social Responsibility and head of the ”Every Spring a Flower’ program in Qatar, presented his views in his lecture (Wars are an attack on environmental rights). Dr. Imad Al-Atrash, the Executive Director of the Palestinian Wildlife Society, reviewed (The impact of the Israeli occupation on nature in Palestine). The head of the Yemeni Ibdaa Foundation for Environment and Sustainable Development addressed (The impact of wars on the environment in Yemen) in his lecture. The scientific paper (The effects of wars on the environment of Lebanon) was presented by Engineer Salim Khalifa, head of the Shoaa Association for the Environment, a founding member of the Lebanese Environmental Movement, and the national coordinator of the Arab Network for Environment and Development in Lebanon.”.
The head of the Environment Society and the head of the conference indicated that the celebration witnessed the Society’s announcement of awarding the “Environmental Heroism Medal” to the Deputy Chief of the General Fire Force, Major General Jamal Al-Blihees, in recognition and appreciation of his special efforts in extinguishing the Kuwaiti oil wells that were set ablaze by the brutal ethnic occupation of the State of Kuwait, as he was one of the members of the fire force team at that time, and he was absent from being honored last year during the celebration because he was on duty following the call of duty.
She added, “The association also honors the loyal sons of the nation, the members of the Kuwaiti well firefighting team, who spent months battling the treacherous fires on the black sands, supporting each other, setting an example of patience and perseverance that prompted firefighting teams from around the world to rush in to prove their worth on the ground in a race against time.” She announced that certificates of appreciation would be awarded to the participants and attendees from Kuwait and the Arab countries, including experts, academics, and media professionals, for their participation and attendance.
In her speech, she emphasized, “Although our focus is on environmental issues, dear attendees, which might require us to elaborate at length on the series of environmental violations resulting from the brutal Iraqi invasion, I have chosen to highlight the demands of members of the Kuwaiti Society for Environmental Protection, along with other civil society organizations, for the necessity of not involving the environment in conflicts between countries. This is especially important given that environmental damage often extends beyond national borders, affecting other countries that may not be directly involved in the conflict. Furthermore, its danger lies in the threat it poses to natural resources and public health, a threat that can last for generations. Civil society has strived to demonstrate the damage and the importance of registering an international stance against environmental violations and its use as a weapon against humanity. With diplomatic support, the initiative received the backing of the late Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah – may God have mercy on him. On November 5, 2001, God blessed us with the unanimous support of the world's nations for a proposal prohibiting the exploitation of the environment as a weapon of war. Out of love for Kuwait, the international community agreed to designate November 6 as the National Day commemorating the extinguishing of the last burning oil well.” International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab concluded, “The lecturers presented 23 executive recommendations concerning Arab environmental media, its mechanisms and tools, and their personal experiences regarding the impact of wars and military conflicts on the environment. Among the most prominent recommendations were: placing environmental issues at the forefront of societal priorities in development planning programs; mobilizing public opinion on local and global environmental issues; and strengthening the concept of social responsibility towards the environment. They also urged the government, the private sector, and civil society to join forces and work together to achieve sustainable development and transition to a green economy. One of the most important recommendations was to continue holding the Arab Environmental Media Conference to raise awareness of this issue within the media, ensuring that journalists, editors, and media professionals use accurate data and access it through the correct presentation of scientific experiences and their use in raising awareness. They also recommended producing awareness videos in cooperation with organizations working in this field to prepare the scientific material and utilize the media effectively.” .
