"The Blue Pioneer": An Interactive Experience to Instill Environmental Responsibility in Youth
Launched by ROPME in collaboration with the Public Authority for Agriculture Resources and Fisheries from the 16th to the 26th of this month
Marwa Abl: The camp relies 100% on interactive activities and practical applications
Bashair Al-Qattan: Investment in human capital is the foundation of sustainable development
Marwa Abl, head of the Capacity Building Unit at the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), confirmed that the second edition of the "Blue Pioneer" camp, organized by the organization in cooperation with the Public Authority for Agriculture Resources and Fisheries, represents a distinctive experience in environmental awareness. This is achieved through a two-week program that relies entirely on interactive activities, practical applications, and field visits.
Abl stated that participants engage in practical experiences from the first day to enhance their knowledge of the marine environment and develop their skills. She explained that the primary objective is to instill a sense of environmental responsibility in children and youth, and to introduce them to the fact that the sea is not merely a place for recreation, but an integrated system comprising organisms, habitats, and ecosystems that require protection.
She added that the camp’s core message is to teach participants to interact with the sea responsibly, given its direct link to human life, particularly in the fields of water and food security. She noted that the sea is a vital source of food and fisheries, and that pollutants reaching it can affect humans through the food chain.
Abl clarified that the camp’s philosophy is based on a clear message: "We protect the sea because it is a source of water and food," thereby contributing to transforming environmental awareness from theoretical information into sustainable behavior that begins in childhood.
For her part, Bashair Al-Qattan from the Public Relations Department at the Public Authority for Agriculture Resources and Fisheries emphasized that investment in human capital is fundamental to achieving sustainable development, noting that students represent the future of Kuwait.
She explained that the camp aims to introduce youth to the importance of protecting the environment and marine resources, while also informing them about the efforts of government and private entities in this field through a practical and interactive program involving several organizations, including the Science Center, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, Aquamarine Company, and Kuwait Oil Company.
Activities included participants setting up and caring for their own fish tanks, as well as visiting the Ahmadi Oil and Gas Complex to learn about the history of oil, its importance to the state, and the relationship between oil activities and environmental responsibility.
The events also included a visit to the fish market to learn about fish species in the Kuwaiti environment, methods for their conservation, and standards for selecting fresh fish. Participants also observed procedures for monitoring, collecting, testing, and analyzing samples in laboratories.
The camp, announced via social media, witnessed significant interest. Applicants were subject to conditions regarding age, academic level, and personal interviews, with approximately 30 students participating after passing the selection stages.
The second edition of the camp began on August 16 and will conclude on August 26. During this period, field activities will continue with a visit to the General Directorate of Coast Guard to learn about their efforts in protecting the marine environment and the dangers of incorrect behaviors, particularly dumping waste and plastic in the sea, and their impact on marine organisms and habitats.
The program also includes a visit to the Science Center to learn about local marine organisms and fish species, as well as their dietary needs. Al-Qattan emphasized the importance of sustained cooperation among government entities, specialized organizations, and the private sector in building a generation equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect the environment. She addressed the participants with a message: “You are Kuwait’s future, so be the best pioneers in safeguarding its environment.”
The “Blue Pioneer” initiative offers a practical model that transcends the concept of a traditional summer camp, by transforming environmental knowledge into experience and behavior, and instilling in young people the conviction that protecting the sea is a shared responsibility, and that what is dumped into it today may have repercussions for humanity tomorrow.
