JEDDAH: Majdah Aburas, assistant professor at King Abdulaziz University of environmental technology and board member of the Saudi Environmental Society, says Jeddah residents should take it upon themselves to be more conscientious about keeping the city clean.
"We should be cleaning our city and not wait for anyone to make things better for us," she told Arab News. "We are responsible for our own actions."
One group of youths has taken this message to heart, and can be seen wielding brooms and shovels every Thursday in Jeddah's historic center, known as the Balad.
"Day after day people will receive our message. It is particularly important to enhance civic responsibility and encourage voluntary participation," said Aburas.
"We are now targeting school children in helping organize similar campaigns in their areas. We are also focusing on garden planting in empty spaces along walkways."
Aburas says she would like to see the Balad be accepted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic center of Jeddah, with its traditional (if also dilapidated and in need of much preservation effort) architecture, has been short-listed by the Saudi government to become the next internationally recognized heritage site.
Madain Saleh, the ancient Nabataean site near Madinah, became the first such site in the Kingdom in 2008.
"I am concerned about the condition here in Balad," said Mai Fakeeh, a student at Dar Al-Hekma college and one of the clean-up volunteers.
"It is part of our heritage and culture. It is dying and no one cares about it. So I think it's time for us to do something and make an impact."
Indeed, one of the requirements for UNESCO World Heritage status is proven effort by the government to restore and preserve original architecture rather than replacing them with replicas, as was done with the remnants of the protective wall that used to surround the Balad when Jeddah was a tiny merchant port that catered to pilgrims heading to the holy cities.
Mohammad Bawazeer, another volunteer, said his interest in improving his city and preserving its historical features peaked when he was studying abroad.
Scores of residents and children as young as six, mostly from the Balad itself, poured in to help the volunteers in cleaning the streets and planting.
"I want to help these people who come here every week to clean our streets and plant pots because this is where I live," said Abdul Kader, a 14-year-old local living amid the narrow alleys and mahrabiyaat (wooden latticework window boxes) of the historic center.
Abdullah, a high-school aged volunteer, said the state of the city is a reflection of its people.
"I want this country to be clean," he said. "If a tourist visits our city and finds it dirty they know we are the ones responsible."
Another volunteer, who asked not to be named, agreed.
"Balad is the heart of Jeddah," she said. "If we go back to our origins ... we have an old history here. No one is going to clean this mess unless we do. We, the people of Jeddah. Today has been a great day for the campaign as the residents of the Balad are now getting involved themselves."
© Arab News 2011
