Unique international photographic exhibition illustrating climate change opens in Dubai

10 of the world's leading photographers from Magnum Photographic Agency are participating in the international exhibition, conceived and organized by the British Council and The Climate Group, a UK-based charity that aims to galvanize leadership on emissions reduction, with support from Emirates Environmentfridayal Group and The Environment Agency in the UAE. The exhibition is being opened by Dr Lois Muir, Provost at Zayed University, and attended by VIPs, senior British Council staff and other invited guests.

NorthSouthEastWest highlights the impact of climate change in communities from all parts of the globe, and the work that the North, South, East and West are doing to reduce carbon emissions. Since its launch in Trafalgar Square, London, in 2005, NorthSouthEastWest has been staged at the Science Museum and the G8 Environment Ministers Conference in London, the Glastonbury Festival, UK, and most importantly, it was shown at Gleneagles during the G8 Summit. The exhibition has already visited Yemen, Kuwait and Oman in its tour of the region and will go onto Bahrain after touring the UAE.

The exhibition was privileged to receive a special visitor in Abu Dhabi, ahead of the official opening in the UAE, when HRH Prince Charles, a respected advocate on environmental issues and who recently collected the Global Environmental Citizen Award, enjoyed a preview during his visit to the city.

Rob Lynes, Regional Director for the British Council in the Middle East, explains that NorthSouthEastWest is an important part of the British Council's ZeroCarbonCity: "The British Council is delighted to bring this important exhibition to the Middle East and we would like to thank our host - Zayed University - for their generous support.

"NorthSouthEastWest was originally conceived by the British Council and The Climate Group as part of ZeroCarbonCity to highlight the issues of climate change and energy challenges facing cities around the world. These are questions of increasing importance for all communities, in an increasingly globalised world, solutions to which must be found."

Mr Lynes adds: "The role of the British Council Middle East is to create mutually beneficial relationships between the UK and the region and we believe that arts and science projects such as NorthSouthEastWest help achieve this, serving as platforms for artistic collaboration and complementing the extensive education work that the British Council undertakes across the region."

The NorthSouthEastWest exhibition brings together the work of 10 of the world's leading photographers, with the aim of raising awareness and stimulating debate across the region about the causes of, and problems associated with, climate change and the energy challenges facing the world's greatest cities, as well as to promote solutions to the general public. This has produced some inspiring images, which detail the resourceful ways in which these communities have adapted.

Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice President of Zayed University, said: "Zayed University is pleased to host such an important exhibition, as it increases the students' cultural, knowledge and academic awareness.

"Zayed University supports all cultural and artistic initiatives submitted by students, faculty members and staff. These initiatives that have positive impacts on developed thoughts and ideas, spread artistic awareness among students and embody the concepts of academic environment with all its academic and cultural components, that enrich the emotions and thoughts of students who will face practical life and social environment after graduation." He concluded.

The exhibition is part of ZeroCarbonCity, a British Council global campaign to raise awareness of climate change and energy challenges around the World.

NorthSouthEastWest has already run in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, and Ras al Khaimah and will run in Dubai until April 5th, 2007, in the final part of its tour of the UAE.