Health Minister calls on UAE youth for ideas to conserve environment

He was opening the Students' Parliament where children aged between 14 and 17 from 10 UAE schools participated in energetic and exciting debates on concerns relating to atmospheric pollution. The Students' Parliament, a joint initiative of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment and Shell, was being held alongside the Dubai International Conference on Atmospheric Pollution.

The Minister emphasised the important contribution that the Students' Parliament could make to the success of the overall conference and to the conservation of the beauty of the UAE.

His remarks were echoed by Dr Klaus Topfer, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Program, who told the students: "Your decisions and ideas can change the views of governments and authorities. The perspective of children is important for the future of the world's environment."

The UAE, he said, was "an example to the world in its pioneering work on drip irrigation and soil treatment" and showed that desalination could increase the amount of water available in a world where water was in increasingly short supply.

Dr Mishgan Al Awar, Member of the High Committee of Zayed International Prize and General Co-ordinator of the Dubai Conference, added: "The future of this country depends on you, our sons and daughters."

The 40 school students, representing 14 nationalities, took part in a number of debates on issues including the roles and responsibilities of corporations, governments and individuals in controlling atmospheric pollution, the development of alternative energy sources and the relationship between pollution and economic progress. One particularly lively debate focused on the balance between investment in medical research into pollution- related illnesses and investment in pollution prevention measures.

The 10 schools represented were Al Diyafah High School, Indian High School, Al Mawakeb School, Al Raya School, Cambridge High School, Dubai National School (Barsha), Al Khaleej National School, Mohammed bin Rashid School, St Mary's Catholic High School and United International Private School.

Prizes were awarded to the teams from Cambridge High School and St Mary's for their outstanding presentations and arguments to the Students' Parliament.

Hussain Al Mahmoudi, External Affairs Manager, Shell Markets (Middle East), commented: "The standard of debate was extraordinarily high and stimulating. It was a pleasure to see our future generations being so passionate and knowledgeable about important environmental issues."

A summary of the outcome of today's debates will be presented today to the plenary session of the Dubai International Conference on Atmospheric Pollution by the Speaker of the Students' Parliament, 17 year old Carl Sequeira, from St Mary's.