The pristine beauty of our coastlines is a treasure that deserves preservation and protection. On September 16, 2023, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport proudly took part in the global effort to safeguard our marine ecosystems as we participated in the activities of International Coastal Cleanup Day in Alexandria Governorate. This initiative was part of the commitment to environmental awareness and social responsibility through the TouMaLi Project, which aims to combat marine pollution stemming from tourism activities.
TouMaLi Project: A Collaborative Endeavor
The TouMaLi Project, funded by the German Ministry of the Environment (BMUV) and implemented under the vigilant supervision of the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, brings together a powerful consortium of nine institutions from academia, think tanks, and private entities. And at the forefront of this impactful consortium, leading the charge in Egypt, is the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport.
We are proud to be an integral part of this international effort, which spans until 2025. Our role as the leading local partner in Egypt underscores our unwavering commitment to reducing the ecological footprint of tourism in our region, ensuring the preservation of our pristine coastal ecosystems.
Global Coastal Cleanup Day: Taking Initiative
On the recent Global Coastal Cleanup Day, observed on the third Saturday of September, we didn't merely participate – we took initiative. Under the expert guidance of Professor Dr. Alaa Abdel-Bari, Vice President of the Arab Academy and head of the project's local team, and with the dedicated leadership of Professor Dr. Gasser E. Hassan, Local Project Manager, we joined hands with esteemed hotels such as Sunrise Hotel, Hilton Corniche Hotel, Sheraton El-Montazah Hotel, and Cecil-Steigenberger Hotel.
Together, we orchestrated a powerful awareness campaign targeted at hotel staff, impressing upon them the critical importance of preserving our beaches from pollution. This campaign culminated in meticulous cleaning campaigns along the shorelines of these hotels. As we celebrated International Beach Cleaning Day, which has marked its 35th year of existence, we did so with the knowledge that our actions were contributing to the global effort to maintain the purity of our marine environments.
A Global Endeavor, A Local Impact
Plastic waste in the sea, cigarette butts on playgrounds, cans on the streets - garbage is everywhere and poses a significant problem for both the environment and the health of people and animals. So-called cleanup actions aim to counteract this.
The International Coastal Cleanup Day, observed on the third Saturday of September each year, represents the world's largest beach cleanup initiative. In 2023, the World Cleanup Day marks its sixth year of mobilizing individuals worldwide to actively collect litter from coastlines. Last year, 800,000 people worldwide collected more than 8,000 tons of trash from beaches, the sea, rivers, and lakes.