UN Official: "Kuwait Plants" Campaign Transforms Environmental Awareness into Sustainable Initiatives

Kuwait City, Sept 26 (KUNA) -- Dr. Amira Al-Hasan, Head of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Mission to Kuwait and the Gulf Arab States, emphasized the importance of enhancing community participation in greening efforts and addressing the impacts of climate change. She noted that the “Kuwait Plants” campaign in its new season continues to work on transforming environmental awareness into practical and sustainable initiatives.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Saturday, marking the launch of the 2026-2027 season of the campaign through a greening event organized by UN-Habitat in cooperation with the diplomatic corps accredited to Kuwait, Al-Hasan said that the participation of more than 60 embassies and international organizations accredited to the country reflects the interest in environmental and sustainability issues, as well as the importance of international and community partnerships in supporting greening efforts.

She added that the campaign aims to highlight Kuwait’s efforts to confront the impacts of climate change and its endeavors to reduce emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, raise awareness about the importance of increasing green spaces, support youth, grassroots, and volunteer initiatives, and engage the community and the diplomatic corps in greening efforts.

Al-Hasan clarified that the participation of ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions, and international organizations in tree planting carries a message of friendship, cooperation, and shared responsibility toward the environment, and contributes to supporting efforts aimed at building a more sustainable urban environment in Kuwait.

Regarding the Kuwait-Turkish Friendship Park (formerly Nile Park), Al-Hasan confirmed that field works for the park’s development were carried out with Kuwaiti funding, Kuwaiti hands, and 100 percent Kuwaiti volunteer efforts, involving local residents, volunteers, and the Enviro Group volunteer team. She noted that UN-Habitat’s role focused on awareness, guidance, knowledge transfer, and supporting volunteers’ capacities.

“We handed them the planting tools, and they did the work with their own hands. Today, the local volunteer team has taken the initiative and is responsible for completing the work, developing the park, and maintaining it,” she said.

She added that the conclusion of UN-Habitat’s executive role and the transfer of the initiative’s responsibility to the local community is one of the key indicators of its success, stating, “Our role today is to return to the park as visitors and enjoy the results of the greening accomplished by Kuwaiti hands, and to see community members continuing to develop what we started together.”

Al-Hasan expressed her pride in the continuity of the “Kuwait Plants” campaign since its launch in 2017 and its expansion over the past years, noting that cooperation with Kuwait Oil Company since 2019 contributed to expanding the campaign’s scope and supporting its progress.

She said, “We hope that after these years, the ‘Kuwait Plants’ culture has become firmly rooted in society and will continue to develop through the efforts of Kuwaitis, its youth, institutions, and volunteer initiatives. The goal is not merely to keep the campaign’s name alive, but to make greening and community participation a sustainable culture and practice.”

In conclusion, Al-Hasan expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the participating ambassadors, diplomatic mission representatives, and international organizations, as well as local residents, volunteers, and the Enviro Group team for their efforts, reaffirming the continued support of the “Kuwait Plants” campaign for community and youth initiatives and the promotion of a culture of sustainability and environmental volunteerism. (End) N.M.A. / T.M.A.