Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools

Business Services

24 Nov 2016

Houses built with denim and mud walls, rooftop gardens producing organic fruit, and solar panels on every available surface. These are just some of the imaginative ideas that may one day become reality as the next generation takes up the challenge of creating a more sustainable society.

School children across the emirate are competing to design sustainable home models as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools (ADSWS), a 10-day program that helps students understand the importance of sustainable development and how they can play a role in promoting it.

"With a variety of globally significant events happening as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week each year, it is important to extend these discussions to young people and to help them understand what sustainability is and how it can positively impact society,” said Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, director of Sustainability at Masdar and director of Zayed Future Energy Prize.

In addition to building sustainable home models, students participated in programs such as the Junior Abu Dhabi Solar Challenge, where they learned to design, build and drive solar-powered cars. In addition, Sustainability Week in Schools offered teachers handbooks on sustainability and in-school projects to take the learning further.

“We are hoping that, through hands-on learning experiences, ADSWS will increase youth awareness of sustainability and their curiosity to innovate for a sustainable future,” said Dr. Al Hosany.

In 2014, 30 public and private schools participated in ADSWS projects.