The Sharjah Sustainability Award (SSA) committee has launched the projects assessment phase for the submissions in various domains of its twelfth cycle, organized annually by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA), with a total of 165 projects in the award’s two categories, including 101 projects in the schools category and 64 projects in the universities category.
Empowering the foundations of sustainable development on the ground in educational sector.
Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah said: "The Sharjah Sustainability Award aims to promote the concept of a sustainable green environment, and it is inspired by the visions of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, on the importance of sustainable development through protecting the environmental natural resources, wildlife and conserving its biodiversity in Sharjah."
She added, "Its vision lies in creating a sustainable green environment, and it carries a message to ignite the spirit of competition among different student sectors in schools and universities to innovate, find, and apply alternative sustainable environmental solutions to the pressing environmental issues that contribute to spreading environmental culture and consolidating awareness of the importance of preserving the environment to achieve and empower the foundations of sustainable development on the ground in educational sectors."
Schools category 101 projects
The number of projects submitted for evaluation in the various domains of the the schools category reached 101 projects, distributed as: 3 projects in domain of rationalization of electric energy and water, 11 projects in the sustainable environmental project, 8 projects in the domain of the environmental innovator, 12 projects in the domain of best project in artificial intelligence, 37 stories in the creative writing of short story domain (in Arabic and English), 17 films in the film domain (in Arabic and English), 13 projects in the green school domain.
Universities category 64 projects
The number of projects submitted for evaluation in the various domains of the universities category reached 64 projects, distributed as follows: 9 projects in the sustainable design and construction domain, 12 projects in the domain of scientific research in sustainability for undergraduate students, 10 projects in the scientific research in sustainability for master’s and doctoral students, 6 projects in the future energy and emissions domain, 15 projects in the domain of artificial intelligence applications in sustainability, 6 projects in the field of conserving and protecting environmental resources, 6 projects in the domain of human and environmental health protection.
Furthermore, the overall objective of the SSA is to promote the principle of partnership in environmental work as it constitutes a fundamental pillar in supporting the strategic project of Sharjah for protecting environmental resources and conserving biodiversity in Sharjah, and the official institutions that will contribute to creating a green environment within a sustainable framework, involving and inviting students of schools and universities, and the administrative and teaching bodies of participating schools, to present their perceptions, concepts, ideas of innovative sustainable projects, and independent activities, to enhance the principle of sustainable educational environments within globally applied environmental specifications.