Masdar City’s two-day sustainability festival will get underway tomorrow, marking the end of the second edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). The Festival at Masdar City will be an opportunity for the community to spend a fun, educational weekend in one of the world’s most sustainable cities. Open from 11am to 8pm and ending on Saturday, the event is expected to attract thousands of local residents eager to learn more about living sustainably. 

Organized by Masdar, the event will contain various areas each with a unique theme and activities aimed at both inspiring and educating children and families. The event will include an organic market featuring farmers and vendors selling locally grown organic produce. There will also be an exhibition area showcasing home solutions for sustainable living, eco stores selling organic arts and crafts, food stalls as well as live music and entertainment for all ages. 

Children will be able to enjoy interactive activities that are both fun and educational, such as flower planting, windmill building, eco craft workshops and a secret garden full of fun surprises. Those who enjoy reading will not want to miss the book swap – allowing families to exchange fun and interesting books while encouraging children to reuse and recycle. 

The festival will feature a facility allowing residents to safely recycle batteries and electrical goods. Visitors can also benefit from tips on how to reduce energy consumption and be introduced to a range of innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency in the home. 

“During Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Masdar brought business leaders, policy makers and academics from around the world to Abu Dhabi to discuss the future of sustainability. However, it is also vitally important to connect with and inspire our local community to adopt sustainable practices,” said Sheikha Mahra Al Qassmi, director of marketing and communications at Masdar. 

“This weekend’s festival at Masdar City will allow people of all ages to understand and enjoy sustainability, encouraging them to make better and more sustainable lifestyle choices that support our vision for a sustainable future,” added Sheikha Al Qassmi. “We look forward to welcoming UAE residents to the event.”

The list of activities includes:

• Little inventors’ competition, that engages children in scientific activity, and encourages them to invent ways to conserve energy or utilise alternative energy sources
• An earth awareness workshop, that allows participants to understand the basics of water pollution, acid rain and the greenhouse effect
• A garbage workshop, offering an introduction to improving the state of the environment through waste reduction and the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle
• An exploration workshop allowing participants to learn about the interconnections that exist between all the living things in ecosystems, including human beings
• Windmill making for children
• Flower planting
• Eco arts and craft sessions
• Organic market
• Food and live entertainment
• Recycling center 

Masdar City is located just 17 kilometers from downtown Abu Dhabi and a short drive from Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and Al Raha. Open from 11am to 8pm today and tomorrow, the festival marks the end of the second edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week – a week-long series of events, conferences and exhibitions that focus on the interconnected challenges and opportunities of sustainable growth.