Residents as well as public and private organisations are being asked to work with the municipality during the Clean-Up the World campaign.
The highlight of this year's campaign, from December 14 to 17, will be participation of people with special needs.
"The four-day campaign One World, One Eco-System, One Humanity, offers a good opportunity to all residents of Dubai to actively contribute to the conservation of their environment," said Abdullah Rafia, assistant director-general of the municipality for environment and public health affairs.
Addressing a press conference in Dubai yesterday, Rafia said the municipality is committed to improving public cleanliness in the emirate in cooperation with individuals, government establishments, private firms and non-governmental organisations through effective participation.
Preparations for the clean-up are already under way with the municipality trying to facilitate an even greater level of participation than last year. In 2003, more than 11,000 people helped pick-up 2,660 tonnes of litter and waste from various areas.
Hassan Makki, assistant director of the environment department and head of waste services section, said the official launch of the event will be held at the Umm Suqeim Park on Tuesday. The event will open with an opera, specially prepared for the occasion, which will be staged by students from the Dubai Centre for Special Needs.
On the same day, volunteers from different centres for special-needs students will participate in a clean-up drive. "In this campaign, we focus on the people of special needs in helping them know the environmental issues," Makki said.
As part of the other programmes on the day, divers will take part in cleaning up the Dubai Creek. Also, the opening of recycling centres will take place at various Emirates petrol stations.
The second day's activities include the clean-up drive by volunteers from government schools at Al Mamzar Beach, clean-up programmes at tourist areas in Hatta, distribution of waste bins at schools and distribution of new garbage bins at beaches in Dubai as well as the handing out of certificates and gifts.
On the third day, volunteers from private schools, colleges and universities will collect debris at the Ras Al Khor Natural Sanctuary.
Taking the plunge to clean the Creek
- The four-day campaign will include volunteers cleaning up the Burj Dubai site on Shaikh Zayed Road, and a team of divers cleaning up the Dubai Creek.
- Yaqoob Al Ali, coordinator of the campaign, said the awareness programmes include environment exhibition and an used-garment collection campaign, organised with the UAE Red Crescent, a photography contest and a scrap sculpture competition.
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