Held under the patronage of prominent Qatari businessman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, the initiative serves as tool and platform to educate students and the public on the negative effects of deforestation in an entertaining and interesting way.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, EPR chairman Abdallah al-Suwaidi said the public, particularly children and students, will have the opportunity to watch a video (using 2D virtual reality) that underscores the significant contribution of recycling to the environment.“The Eco Dome aims to send a message for the new generation on the importance of recycling. Now we get school visits and children see the recycling process in our factory (at EPR) but still the message is not fully shown to them, that is why we are launching this,” he said.
HE Sheikh Faisal and officials and representatives from key partners and sponsors of the initiative were present on the occasion.
Al-Suwaidi explained that the Dome showcases two contrasting environments – forested and deforested – which provides visitors a deeper understanding of their impacts to Mother Earth.
“The video shows what happens if you don’t recycle, since you need paper you go and cut trees so it affects the environment and human lives, there will be less oxygen. Another picture is what happens if you recycle, which then makes the world a greener place to live in,” he said.
According to EPR, recycling of paper plays a key role in protecting Mother Nature and underlines the need to stop deforestation, which will save millions of trees and help reduce carbon footprint in Qatar.
EPR set a five-year aggressive communication strategy and launched a series of CSR and community public awareness campaigns aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 aimed at promoting the company’s ‘Go Green Recycling and Sustainability’ initiatives.
Al-Suwaidi said students from levels, including those from universities, are welcome to visit the Eco Dome, which will also host a number of educational activities.
Sponsors of EPR’s “mega environmental project” include Ooredoo (platinum /official telecom sponsor); Qatar Post and Aamal (gold sponsors); and FMM, Talabat, Al Waad Packaging and Manufacturing Company (silver sponsors).
Other key sponsors include: Ministry of Education (educational partner); Ashghal, Qatar Green Building Council, Kahramaa-Tarsheed and Friends of Environment (strategic Partner); Jaidah Group -Isuzu (transportation partner) while honorary partners include the embassies of Sweden, Italy, Tanzania, Ecuador, Argentina, Moldova, Uruguay, and Unesco, and Gas Exporting Countries Forum; Al Rayyan TV and Marhaba (media partner); Al Meera (retail partner); Al Wadi Hotel By MGallery (hospitality partner); and Realis Design (industrial design partner).
“We now have more than 250 schools participating with us, who come to the factory almost daily, after launching the Dome, we will double (the number) of our school visits,” al-Suwaidi said. “We are expecting more than 25 students per hour.”
EPR, through its Go Green initiative has collected more than 108,000 tonnes of paper waste in Qatar and recycled to Kraft paper and exported 80% of it, contributing to both micro-economy and sustainability, during the past three years.
