The Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG), the first garden in the world to exhibit all the plant species mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith and Sunnah, has presented an Umbrella Thorn tree (as-Samra) to the British embassy in Qatar to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee this year.
The tree was planted in the British ambassador’s residence gardens by the Countess of Wessex in the presence of Jon Wilks, the British ambassador, and Fatima al-Khulaifi, QBG director. This was also in support of The Queen’s Green Canopy, a unique initiative created to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which invites people to plant a tree for the Jubilee. The Countess visited Qatar earlier this year, as global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
The Umbrella Thorn tree is native to Qatar and the Arabian Peninsula, and integral to environmental efforts to support ecosystems and enhance biodiversity in desert regions. The donation is part of QBG’s pledge to donate 2.5mn trees to be planted by Qatar Red Crescent Society volunteers throughout Qatar over a period of 10 years. It is also part of the initiative of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation to plant 50mn trees in Arab countries, and is consistent with Qatar committing to planting 10mn trees by 2030.
Al-Khulaifi said, “QBG has enjoyed excellent ties with Doha’s diplomatic community since its establishment over a decade ago. Today’s event and celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee with the British embassy further underscores our commitment to furthering local and international environmental protection goals through close collaboration with Qatar’s diplomatic, humanitarian and environmental stakeholders. We commend the British embassy for joining our Ghars tree-planting campaign in 2015 and in 2020, when we had the pleasure of welcoming Jon Wilks to our garden. We are pleased to once again work with the British embassy on this special occasion.”
Wilks added, “On behalf of all my colleagues at the British embassy in Doha, we are grateful for the continued support of the QBG in donating a Samra tree to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee this year. This tree will stand in the grounds of my residence as a beautiful tribute to the long-standing and well-established relations between our two countries at all levels, including between our royal families.”
The tree was planted in the British ambassador’s residence gardens by the Countess of Wessex in the presence of Jon Wilks, the British ambassador, and Fatima al-Khulaifi, QBG director. This was also in support of The Queen’s Green Canopy, a unique initiative created to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which invites people to plant a tree for the Jubilee. The Countess visited Qatar earlier this year, as global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
The Umbrella Thorn tree is native to Qatar and the Arabian Peninsula, and integral to environmental efforts to support ecosystems and enhance biodiversity in desert regions. The donation is part of QBG’s pledge to donate 2.5mn trees to be planted by Qatar Red Crescent Society volunteers throughout Qatar over a period of 10 years. It is also part of the initiative of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation to plant 50mn trees in Arab countries, and is consistent with Qatar committing to planting 10mn trees by 2030.
Al-Khulaifi said, “QBG has enjoyed excellent ties with Doha’s diplomatic community since its establishment over a decade ago. Today’s event and celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee with the British embassy further underscores our commitment to furthering local and international environmental protection goals through close collaboration with Qatar’s diplomatic, humanitarian and environmental stakeholders. We commend the British embassy for joining our Ghars tree-planting campaign in 2015 and in 2020, when we had the pleasure of welcoming Jon Wilks to our garden. We are pleased to once again work with the British embassy on this special occasion.”
Wilks added, “On behalf of all my colleagues at the British embassy in Doha, we are grateful for the continued support of the QBG in donating a Samra tree to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee this year. This tree will stand in the grounds of my residence as a beautiful tribute to the long-standing and well-established relations between our two countries at all levels, including between our royal families.”