Abu Dhabi: For two hours per month, nine times a year, a team of 50 individuals will roam the mangroves of the capital and free them from litter and other waste material, as part of Green Abu Dhabi 2013.
Inaugurated by Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Green Abu Dhabi will host its first group clean-up this month.
As part of the project, a month-long art exhibition by British artist George H. Lewis displayed a combination of photographs and paintings for members of the public and companies to purchase in order to support this cause.
“Schools, corporations, companies and almost anyone could be a member of the team involved in the mangrove clean-up. Twenty-five per cent of all money raised will be directed towards the Green Abu Dhabi fund and 80 per cent of all that money comes from the artworks sold,“ said Suhail Jhangiani, Creative Director of Link Design Consultancy FZE.
George H. Lewis has delved into the Arab community, especially in the Gulf region and has dedicated his art exhibition entitled Ahlan wa Sahlan towards accepting diversity and growing towards a sustainable future.
“My works have been juxtaposed to tell a story the conclusion of which is to urge people to take inspiration from nature. Throughout my journey in the Gulf, my perspective was transformed from an idealistic one to one which empathizes with humans from all walks of life. I realize now that this empathy is the key to overcoming all kinds of conflict whether they are social or environmental,” Lewis told Gulf News.
The exhibition was open until yesterday at the Eastern Mangroves Hotel, entry was free for all.
