Amman, Jordan, 19 September 2017 – The International Union for Conservation of Nature – the Regional Office for West Asia (IUCN ROWA) and the Regional Environmental Center (REC) honored 10 students who participated in the drawing competition as part of the “Sustainable Use of Transboundary Water Resources and Water Security Management” (WATER SUM) project funded by the government of Sweden.  The students, their teachers and parents attended the ceremony and were handed over tablets and other gifts.

Speaking at the ceremony and representing (REC) Danko Aleksicthe drawing competition inspired many young people to think about water related themes. Today, they have submitted creative drawings, tomorrow they will come up with creative solutions as experts and engineers”.

The Regional Director of IUCN ROWA Fadi Shraideh addressed the winners as saying, “it is our honor to meet with you young generation and with your teachers. You are all winners as well as your schools which supported your participation in this important extracurricular activity and consequently connected you with environment”. Adding that; “this drawing competition is part of a larger effort targeted local communities with regard to promoting importance of water and how to preserve it. The competition and the project were possible thanks to funding from the government of Sweden and support from the ministries of environment and education in targeted countries”

Mahmoud Alasad, head of art section at the Ministry of Education of Jordan, participated in the competition selection committee, said; “the students presented themselves and ideas in a very natural and honest way through their drawings. The importance of the competition lies in enriching the students’ art skills and increasing their awareness about the environment. Such activities can contribute extensively to their education and making them better citizens”.

The WaterSum project started in 2014 in eight countries with Jordan and Tunisia as two centers.  The project is funded by the government of Sweden and implemented by the Regional Environmental Center and the International Union for Conservation of Nature – the Regional Office for West Asa. The overarching objective of the project is to promote and enhance the sustainable management of water resources in the MENA region and North Africa which will help in mitigating poverty and loss of biodiversity life.

Background information:

About the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC).

Established in 1990, REC is an international organisation with a mission to assist in addressing environmental issues. The organisation relies on a network of offices and experts in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. Its head office is located in Szentendre, Hungary.

The REC actively participates in key global, regional and local processes and contributes to environmental and sustainability solutions within and beyond its country office network, transferring transitional knowledge and experience to countries and regions.

www.rec.org

About the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,300 Member organisations and the input of more than 16,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

www.iucn.org/westsia