'Cycle to Recycle' environmental initiative launched

An environmental initiative "Cycle to Recycle” aimed at raising awareness about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was launched Tuesday, featuring a cycling tour around Msheireb Downtown Doha.The event, organised by UN-Habitat in co-operation with Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Msheireb and Doha Cyclists, brought together 30 participants from different sectors of society, including Qatari Minister of Sports and Youth HE Salah bin Ghanim al-Ali, Morocco’s Minister of Culture Othman El Ferdaos, UN-Habitat executive director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, EAA Foundation CEO Fahad al-Sulaiti, and Rwandan cyclist Moise Mugisha.UN-Habitat is working in more than 90 countries, including 18 in the Arab region supporting people in cities and human settlements for a better urban future."The idea why we’re hosting it in Msheireb Downtown because this is a sustainable city, we’re learning about sustainability, promoting good health and wellbeing and we are partnering with the UN agency called UN-Habitat,” EAA Engagement manager George Tavola told Gulf Times.He said the Ooredoo-sponsored event was held on the sidelines of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and forms part of EAA’s ongoing ‘Scoring 4 the Goals’ campaign.The campaign calls for action in support of SDGs to encourage people around the world to do their part in bringing about a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.While EAA hosts an array of activities at its pavilion at the FIFA Fan Festival throughout the World Cup, Tavola noted that its latest initiative is an offside activity aimed at promoting recycling through cycling – a carbon-neutral sustainable form of transportation.The cyclists visited a number of green spaces, an electric charging station and Msheireb’s electric tram (to promote electric cars as opposed to carbon-based transport technologies), and museums at MDD to learn more about the history of Qatar."Cycle to Recycle”, organisers noted, also aims to create a movement that would encourage alternative ways in promoting more sustainable cities, including shedding light on different modes of mobility.EAA’s Creative lead Mubarak Nasser al-Thani said the event underlines the synergies between the entities in Qatar and UN-Habitat to work jointly towards achieving the SDGs and the importance of using alternative sustainable transport such as cycling.Before the start of the cycling tour, Sharif said in her speech: "You might wonder why we mention sustainable development during this event. Football is a mass sport with millions of fans and followers. If people learn about Sustainable Development Goals here, they will know more and will help us achieve more. This means we have higher chances of achieving our Global Goals by 2030.”The event puts a spotlight on SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG 11 (inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities), and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production patterns). The participants rode through the streets of Msheireb to explore the features that make the district the world’s first smart and sustainable downtown regeneration project."EAA is committed to using education to help transform lives and bring about a better world for everyone, and perhaps nothing is more important than sharing knowledge about ways in which on what we can all do in order to bring about a cleaner, healthier future. Learning to take simple every day actions, like cycling, recycling, and conserving energy, will go a long way in Scoring 4 the Sustainable Goals,” EAA CEO Fahad al-Sulaiti said in a statement."Scoring 4 the Goals” underscores the value of football in enhancing sustainable development, peace, tolerance, inclusion, and climate action. The campaign was launched three months ago at the UN General Assembly in New York, and is ongoing throughout the World Cup 2022 tournament, with daily activations and engaging discussions.Msheireb Properties Marketing and Communications’ director Dr Hafez Ali Ali said the event takes place in the heart of Doha, at MDD, the sustainable eco-friendly city district that is equipped with smart facilities while embodying the true Qatari heritage.He noted that MDD is now a role model for modern sustainable cities, in line with Qatar’s ambitious strategy to tackle the climate change challenge, and achieve low carbon emissions."We are proud that we are leading a new norm in the construction sector, and honoured to share our knowledge and expertise in this field to collaborate together in accomplishing the UN’s SDGs,” Dr Ali said.