The Syrian Arab Republic and our fragile planet

The nature of environmental awareness has become heavily defined upon the implementation of the educational forums and programs which have been set in motion under the patronage of President of the Syrian Arab Republic H.E. Dr. Bashar al –Assad. This intellectual current has unyieldingly staged the active and collective participation at a municipal level and more so, has staged integration and collaboration amid recognized Syrian Ministries and established environmental interest groups like the Damascus Friends Association, ASCAD and the International Organizations such as the United Nations. Unanimously, this positive approach has enhanced dialogue and in turn accelerated preventative measures in impeding the already prone environmental transformations in the Middle Eastern region, to name a few;

• waste pollution
• Deforestation
• Increasing soil salination and degradation and its direct negative effect to vegetation and
• Qualitative and quantitative measures in water management
• The control of Carbon emissions

The following inspiring achievements provide feedback with regard to the environmental awareness approach in the Syrian Arab Republic.

• Government funded programmes at Syrian schools intending to educate school children to enhance environmental awareness titled ‘Environmental lessons for children to be expanded’.
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/syrianprideclub/message/20629
  
  
• Implementation of environmental projects at the Community Level; A report titled ‘First Five SGP Projects in Syria in 2006’. http://sgp.undp.org/index.cfm?module=ActiveWeb&page=WebPage&DocumentID=731
  
  
• Text retrieved from The United Nations Environmental Programme UNEP held on the World Environmental Day.
  
  Homs
  “ The Syrian Red Crescent Organization Homs Branch invited photographers from around the world, amateur or professional, to participate in its 2005 World Environment Day Photo Gallery, which was exhibited in the Museum of Azzehrawi Palace on 5-9 June”.
  Text retrieved from a report titled; INSPIRING EXAMPLES by the United Nations Environment Program;
  http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/Information_Material/WestAsia.asp
  
  
• The Syrian News Agency publishes the following statement with the regard to the increasing environmental awareness in Syria titled; “The Seminar on ’Role of Environmental Media in Fighting Pollution Dangers' stressed responsibility of mass media in raising environmental awareness, calling for specialized information programs in this regard”.
  http://www.sana.sy/eng/29/2008/01/29/158607.htm
  
  
• Ministry of Environment in Syria enhances environmental awareness via media titled ; "The Technology of Composting Agricultural Waste for Reuse in the Agricultural Sector" and further the report can be read below;

SYRIA
Local newspapers and magazines covered WED celebrations and published a number of environmental articles to raise public awareness on the significance of the occasion. In addition, the Ministry of Environment Affairs published a special WED issue of "Life & Environment".

The local radio show "The Family" broadcast a special on the environment. Guests on the show included the Director of Religious Guideness of the Ministry of Religious Endowments and the Director of Environmental Education, Awareness and Publicity of the Ministry of Environment Affairs.

The local and satellite TV channels aired a number of special shows on this occasion, including an interview with the Minister of Environment on 5 June on the Syrian Satellite Channel.

The weekly show "Good Morning" aired a special on environmental problems in Syria and the role citizens can play to minimize those problems.

Two symposiums organized by the Ministry of Environment Affairs was aired on both the satellite channel and local channels. The symposiums focused on desertification, biological diversity and Syriaís national environmental strategy.

A number of environmental documentaries were shown on local and satellite channels in both English and Arabic, including an environmental awareness show which aired throughout the first week of June.

The Ministry of Environment Affairs also organized a symposium on "The Technology of Composting Agricultural Waste for Reuse in the Agricultural Sector" in association with AOAD. The Ministry also organized, in collaboration with the Agricultural Engineers Union, a seminar under this year's WED theme "Just Save It".

• Finally more information can be retrieved from The Arab Center for the studies of Arid Zones and Dry lands [ASCAD]. Via the following link; http://www.acsad.org/aboutACSAD.htm .

All in all, this demonstrates the joint environmental friendly approach undertaken in Syria and its Arab neighbors and more so alongside the International Community.

R. Darwich.
BSc [Biological]
Sydney, Australia.

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