KUWAIT: The Japanese embassy in cooperation with Kuwait's Environment Public Authority (EPA) will be holding a beach cleaning campaign on Friday. The project dubbed 'Operation Turtle' will be divided into two groups, participated by the Japanese community and other civic and non-governmental organisations here.
Japanese Ambassador Masamitsu Oki will inaugurate the beach-cleaning mission at 1:30pm at Shuwaikh Beach Park on the Arabian Gulf.
After the beach cleaning operation, attendees will be treated at the Research Study on Rehabilitation of Kuwait Bay located behind Maternity Hospital. The research centre in Sabah Hospital was a joint project of Kuwait and Japanese governments installed to monitor the effectiveness of tidal flat responsible for cleaning the water of Kuwait bay.
"We are expecting Japanese and Kuwaiti people to join in the cleaning operation. This will be our sixth year of continuous cooperation with EPA to show our support and concern on the mounting sea pollution not just in Kuwait but the whole world in general. This year's team 'Operation Turtle' aims to winning back our sea turtle. If we removed all the garbage littered at the seaside then the sea turtle will come back, probably will be seeing them closer to us," said Wataru Sasaki, Japanese First Secretary, currently in-charge of the beach cleaning operation.
Operation Turtle also aims to enhancing people's awareness on environmental protection. Japan spearheads research and study programme to rehabilitate air, sea and land of Kuwait through the use of Japan modern technology.
"Clean environment is the only hope of generations to come. We have to take good care of environment because we'd just borrow these surroundings to our children. Let them enjoy the environment the way we enjoyed them," Sasaki urged.
By Ben Garcia
© Kuwait Times 2006
