Voluntary, Environmental Activities at Damascus University

DAMASCUS (ST)-Rector of Damascus University, Dr. Amer Mardini recently held an activity entitled “My University, My Environment, My Home”. The event was carried out by the Directorate of International and Cultural Relations at Damascus University.

“A series of voluntary activities will be launched for the first time at Damascus University on this wide scale.”Dr. Mardini said.

“Voluntary work is a social tool that helps strengthening societies and considered a basic element in the components in any of the civilized societies, highlighting the value of social relations and the role of cooperation in achieving economic goals that are based on social cohesion and communication,” he pointed out.

Director of the International Relations at Damascus University, Dr. Fadi al Shalabi, referred that this activity aims at presenting an awareness initiative in the field of enhancing the environment awareness and how to deal with psychological pressures at hard times.

Head of the Damascus Environment Directorate, Dr. Maher Bouzo, clarified that Damascus University had been the forerunner among other universities to take interest in the environmental dimension and pushing its students and cadres forward voluntary and social work.     

Dr. Bouzo confirmed the importance of partnership in the environment work between the public and private sectors and praised the role being played by the civil environment societies and the peoples’ organizations to support the environment work.

“We have to work hard to protect and maintain the environment,” Dr. Bouzo noted.

“We have taken part in the different committees affiliated to the State’s ministries concerned with environment affairs in addition to our activities in setting up environment clubs,” he added.

“We seek to create a well- educated generation to comprehend the importance of the environmental dimension in its daily behavior,” Dr. Bouzo said.

Participants in the event stressed the need to reactivate environmental issues and give a priority within the development plans and involving bodies concerned in mapping out environmental policies and strategies. They also affirmed that the environmental issue should be included within the curricula to teach children at schools and enhancing the role of information in circulating environmental awareness in society.

Director of Environmental Awareness and Information at the State Ministry of Environment Affairs, Dr. Nader Ghazi, gave a lecture on environmental citizenship and its importance in sustainable development, preparing public awareness programs among the people and raising up joint environmental issues with concerned bodies.

 Joumana Ousi, representing Mar Afram Society, talked in her lecture about the strategies of teaching environment education to children at schools through a number of activities.           

 Mrs.Ousi noted the important role of the family to help in finding solutions to environment problems such as population explosion, pollution, and deterioration of natural resources.

She affirmed the need to prepare a well- educated generation towards these issues to protect and maintain the environment.

Some participants talked about air pollution, climatic change and the population’s participation in the integral programs in sorting out solid waste, environment crisis and how to deal with psychological pressures in the environment situation of Damascus city.  

Sh. Kh.