Kingdom of Bahrain, October 31, 2009: The Kingdom of Bahrain became the 104th country around the world to join the International Coastal Clean-Up, a global initiative sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, which aims to help protect oceans and keep shorelines free from trash. Coca-Cola associates and their families, the bottler, partner organisations, the Manama Municipality and the Northern Municipality were all involved in cleaning the coast from the Bahrain Fort towards the Ritz Carlton on Saturday 31 October.

The 225 volunteers collected around 1000 kilos of trash and recyclable materials and cleaned 1,870 metres of coastline in this one day initiative.

Alexis Sacre, President – Middle East Business Unit, Coca-Cola said: “We are glad that with the support and cooperation of the Manama Municipality and the Northern Municipality we have been able to launch the first ever International Coastal Clean-up in Bahrain and added the Kingdom to the list of countries that are taking part in this global initiative.”

“The International Coastal Clean-up initiative is in line with Coca-Cola’s ongoing sustainable packaging and water stewardship efforts that help us to give back to our community and to promote recycling as a source of economic value.”

Abdul Karim Hassan, General Director of Northern Municipality, highlighted the importance of supporting cleanup initiatives that are in sync with the Northern Municipality campaign launched in May 2008 with an objective of coastal clean-up. Mr. Hassan also acknowledged the positive efforts of The Coca-Cola Company as a private sector organisation in taking the lead of organising environmentally-friendly global initiatives that involve the community.

Mr. Hassan believes that involvement in this global initiative was essential in order to create a genuine partnership between a variety of sectors and institutions in the community. He commented “This is an important occasion and we need to take advantage of initiatives like this one to set an example and encourage the community to participate, whether through community sectors, civil society or the private sector.

Futhermore, Mr. Hassan reiterated the willingness of the Northern Municipality to cooperate fully with all corporations that adopt initiatives like the International Coastal Cleanup by Coca-Cola. He emphasized that the protection of the environment is a shared responsibility and that everyone should contribute as per their capabilities to care for the environment.

Yusuf Ebrahim Al-Ghatam, Director General, Manama Municipality said: “We are delighted the Coca-Cola have taken this initiative in Bahrain and we are happy to lend our support and be a part of the ICC cause. The initiative coincides with the campaign for cleanliness that the Manama Municipality launched at the same time as the ICC. It is our vision to ensure that Manama is kept clean to ensure that the area offers a healthy environment for future generations.”

“The Ocean Conservancy is delighted to have Bahrain participating in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) for the first time.  The ICC is the world’s largest volunteer effort of its kind aimed at removing trash and debris from the world's beaches and waterways,” said Dianne Sherman, Director of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. “Volunteers not only remove trash, they record every item they find helping Ocean Conservancy create an international database of what is trashing our ocean and waterways. In 2008, more than 400,000 volunteers and 100 countries participated removing 6.8 million pounds of debris. With the addition of Bahrain to this growing list of countries we are one step closer to solving this preventable problem.”

Coca-Cola has supported the International Coastal Cleanup since 1995 and has been the lead sponsor since 2005, raising awareness on the issue of marine waste. In 2008, Coca-Cola activated a network of over 50,000 employees and associates in 35 countries who volunteered for 200,000 hours to help clear beaches and waterways of debris.

Ocean Conservancy will use the data from Bahrain and the other countries to create the world’s only annual country-by-country index to be shared with the public and private sectors to help end the problem of marine debris.

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About Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognised as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion-dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite and Coca-Cola Zero. It is globally the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, The Coca-Cola Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate.

For further information, please contact:
Sarah El Tarzi/Pooja Rekhi Sharma
Memac Ogilvy
Tel: 1756 1723/17561728
Email: sarah.eltarzi@ogilvy.com
pooja.sharma@ogilvy.com.

© Press Release 2009