The campaign embodied the values of loyalty and belonging to the homeland. The launch of more than 30 vessels from multiple marinas, carrying 200 male and female volunteers in sweltering summer heat (at least 50 degrees Celsius), as they diligently combed the island, removing waste from its beaches, and divers retrieved debris from underwater, is a prime example.” This was stated by Engineer Abdulaziz Al-Muhanna, Vice Chairman of the Association’s Board of Directors, on the sidelines of his participation in the campaign.
He emphasized that “the participants in the National Environmental Campaign to Clean Umm Al-Maradim Island reflected their sense of responsibility towards our environment and their commitment to keeping it clean and beautiful, in addition to protecting its living organisms and the elements and components of the rich wildlife within and around it. Kuwait needs a lot from us, each in their own field.“ Engineer Abdulaziz Al-Muhanna described the National Environmental Campaign to Clean Umm Al-Maradim Island as a “national mobilization,” praising in this context those responsible for organizing the campaign: Salman Al-Qattan, Adnan Al-Ramadan, and Abdulaziz Al-Failakawi. He also commended the participating government agencies and bodies, most notably the Ministry of Interior – Coast Guard, Kuwait Municipality, the Environment Public Authority, the General Fire Department – Marine Fire and Rescue Force, the Ministry of Health – Emergency Medical Services Department, the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources, the Tourism Projects Company, the General Administration of Customs, and the Capital Governorate, as well as the volunteer team of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, in addition to Kuwait Finance House and Alghanim Industries – Alghanim Marine (Honda).
He also praised the good and patriotic roles and logistical support provided by the private sector, such as the diving centers, namely “Bubbles Diving, One, Divers Academy, and Elite”, and food supply companies, including “Al-Dahia Juice, Abu Hassan Shawarma, and Al-Sayer”, noting the “coordination between representatives of marine service companies, recreational boats, individual boats, and government agencies to transport participants from the points of Al-Khiran Park and Al-Jalboot, and that the participating boats are from all Kuwait marinas, from Souq Sharq Marina to Al-Khiran Park Marina”, praising and pointing to the efforts of volunteer groups and individuals.
M. Al-Muhanna stated that the association took the initiative to participate in the campaign to reinforce among the sectors and groups of society the utmost importance of the Kuwaiti islands in general and Umm Al-Maradim Island in particular, as it is a haven for many species and elements rich in marine organisms and wildlife, where the nests of some turtles were monitored, which were fenced off by the Public Authority for the Environment,” noting that “the association participated with a field work team headed by him, consisting of 5 of its volunteer staff, to monitor community environmental awareness during the campaign.”.
Engineer Abdulaziz Al-Muhanna concluded by saying, “As a result of this national effort, a huge amount of waste was collected by the participants, estimated to fill four Kuwait Municipality trucks, which were then transported to the Coast Guard vessel. Plastic and foam constituted the largest percentage of the waste removed from the beach and underwater.“ Al-Muhanna also emphasized “the important awareness role in preserving our environment by keeping our beaches clean. Therefore, launching the campaign to Umm Al-Maradim Island to clean its beaches contributes to conveying a message to everyone about its environmental importance, in addition to highlighting the status of Kuwait’s islands, as well as instilling a love of volunteer work in everyone.” He added, “The Kuwait Environment Protection Society calls on visitors to Kuwait’s islands to adhere to the highest standards of beach cleanliness and to protect the marine environment from all kinds of pollutants.”.
