Sharjah24: The Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA) has today announced the launch of the tenth edition of the Sharjah Sustainability Award. The award, which will be carried out in cooperation with the Emirates Foundation for School Education, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Sharjah Education Council and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai will be in two categories, green schools, and universities.

Participants are expected from school students at preparatory and secondary levels, Emirate of Sharjah level university students from all faculties and specialisations, as well as individuals from school administrative and educational bodies. 
 
Environmental programmes 
While announcing the award launch, Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) said: “This award aims to promote the concept of a sustainable green environment. Environmental programs in schools are among the important in the organisation’s system of activities which aim at achieving sustainability.

Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, further added that the award is intended to invite and engage school and university students to develop independent projects, ideas, and activities, to improve their environment and achieve a sustainable green environment with globally applicable environmental specifications.  This is a vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah who has stressed the importance of protecting the environment, preserving biodiversity and sustainability in the emirate.

The award is an appreciation and is granted to schools and universities with innovative and distinguished environmental projects that have met the award criteria which is to implement a sustainable environmental project with practical environmental practices in one of the award fields. The winner is awarded a financial prize, a  trophy of the Sharjah Sustainability Award, and a certificate of excellence in the field of participation, and non-winners of the award are given participation certificates.
 
150 public and private schools 
  150 public and private schools, from different emirates and student centers  have participated. SSA comprises 6 domains and 13 participation categories include students of the seventh to twelfth grades and teaching staff. Other than students of the emerging centers in Sharjah and students of Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah, Award domains include the creative writing of short story in Arabic and English, short film production, environmental innovator a sustainable environmental application project, best environmental initiative in artificial intelligence as well as the rationalization of electricity and water  consumption and the green school field. 


More than 180 students 
Three new domains have been developed for university students that comprised the domain of Scientific Research that target the postgraduates (Master and PhD), the Scientific Research that target the under graduates’ students, and the domain of Sustainability in the Industrial process. In addition to the other domains that comprise each of the Design of a Model for Sustainable Solutions to current issues, Sustainable Architectural Design, and the Smart Application for information on Smart Phones domain.  More than 180 students have participated in various domains from different colleges and disciplines in the university. 

Visions of the award 
A sustainable green environment is the vision of the award which will be achieved by stimulating the spirit of competition among school and university student sectors to innovate, find and implement sustainable environmental solutions to urgent environmental problems. The award also aims to strengthen partnership in environmental action, as it constitutes a fundamental pillar in supporting the Sharjah strategic project to protect environmental resources and preserve biodiversity in the emirate.

Environmental responsibility 
The award aims to consolidate principles of sustainable development in the educational sector, (which is one of the most important and largest sectors of society), activate the role and importance of environmental education in working towards sustainable development goals in and to consolidate the concept of environmental culture among the various student sectors in schools and universities. It also purposes to enhance a sense of social and environmental responsibility by assigning a key role to students in implementing the award project and activating various efforts by students and individuals in spreading the culture of the green economy and the sound relationship with natural ecosystems.

The tenth cycle of the Sharjah Sustainability Award was launched at the beginning of September 2021 to all foreign public and private schools in the various emirates of the country and to all universities in Sharjah, in cooperation with the Emirates Foundation, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Sharjah Education Council and the Knowledge and Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, in addition to university presidents and members of other bodies, Senior management in public and private universities in the Emirate of Sharjah.