EPAA Announces Start Of SSA Evaluations
Over the Course of 10 Days with the Participation of Expert Judges
The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) announced that entries for the 8th Sharjah Sustainability Award’s (SSA) Green School category are being evaluated by a jury with experience in judging sustainable environmental awards and projects. One hundred public and private schools from across the UAE are competing for the award.
The vast majority of the projects submitted were for the student team, student, coordinator and school categories. They include power and water rationalisation projects, sustainable environmental projects, designs for environmental models, creative writing in the form of short stories, short environmental films, green schools and the distinguished environmental educational personality.
“The jury has started assessing submissions in the Green School category, which will take 10 days. They are experienced in judging sustainable environmental projects,” said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, EPAA Chairperson.
Mrs Al Suwaidi explained that the hard and soft copy submissions will be evaluated based on specific criteria for each category, including reasons for choosing the project, the concept, the implementation process, and the plan for implementation. Other criteria include the extent to which concepts are modern, excellent and innovative, and the ways in which the projects will provide solutions to environmental problems. The evaluation process includes field visits to nominated schools with outstanding projects.
Projects submitted by university students from various disciplines and colleges will also be evaluated based on specific criteria. One hundred male and female students from universities in the Emirate of Sharjah submitted projects that involved designing a model for sustainable environmental solutions, applied and evaluative research, sustainable architecture, photography, environmental films, and sustainable campus initiatives.
SSA aims to promote the idea of a sustainable green environment. Environmental programmes at schools are an important part of EPAA's activities, which aim to encourage sustainability through the conservation of biodiversity. An important means of raising awareness among an extended number of community groups, they help EPAA achieve its objectives by preserving the environment and conserving biodiversity.
SSA is important because it helps to promote a sustainable green environment by inviting students at schools and universities to develop projects, ideas and independent activities to improve their environments in line with internationally-recognised environmental specifications. The goal is to foster competition and encourage students to create, find and implement sustainable solutions to pressing environmental problems. This helps to spread an environmental culture and promote awareness about the importance of preserving the environment and sustainable development in educational environments.
SSA was launched in 2012 in line with the views of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who is interested in promoting sustainable development by protecting the environment and conserving biodiversity in Sharjah. SSA’s overall objective is to encourage partnerships in environmental action as a key pillar in supporting the protection of environmental resources and the conservation of biodiversity by extending the responsibility for environmental action to schools, universities and official institutions that will help to create a green environment within a sustainable framework.
