The competition witnessed the participation of 300 students from 50 schools from all over the UAE

Dubai, UAE – The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) proudly celebrated for the 1^st time the “Art From Waste” Competition winners, a resounding success that saw the enthusiastic participation of over 300 students from 50 schools in 102 projects across the UAE, including institutions catering to students with special needs.

To honour the exceptional achievers, EEG hosted a dedicated awards ceremony on June 5, 2024, at Dubai Knowledge Park. The ceremony showcased the remarkable projects of winning schools, each topic carrying a powerful environmental message.

Mrs. Habiba Al Mar’ashi, Co-Founder and Chairperson of EEG, extended a warm welcome to students, teachers, media and esteemed guests at the ceremony. She expressed her delight at the diverse representation of educational institutions and underscored the high calibre of participation witnessed in this year’s competition.

She said in her opening address, that “The annual Art from Waste Competition, a flagship initiative of EEG, stands as a testament to our commitment to environmental education and stewardship. Through this innovative platform, students gain invaluable insights into the impact of their choices on the environment, nurturing a deeper understanding of environmental issues and fostering the development of essential skills to address them”.

This year’s competition centered around 3 compelling projects tailored to different age groups:

• “Table Lamp” for students aged between 9 to 11 years.
• “Robot” for students aged between 12 to 14 years.
• “Garden Furniture” for students aged between 15 to 17 years.

Reflecting on the significance of the Art from Waste Competition, Mrs. Al Mar’ashi further emphasized its role in challenging perceptions and inspiring action towards sustainable waste management. She highlighted the transformative power of art in sparking conversations and driving positive change, urging everyone to rethink their approach to waste.

In her closing remarks, Mrs. Al Mar’ashi extended heartfelt gratitude to Accenture who was the supporting entity for this competition.

The judging panel comprised distinguished professionals from the artistic community:

• Dr. Najat Makki, Visual Artist
• Mr. Ahmed Ashry, Art Teacher
• Mr. Mahfuz Rahman, Corporate Artist
• Mrs. Nahida Beshara, Fine Art Teacher

The winners of EEG’s Art from Waste Competition 2024 were:

Category	Position	Schools
Students of Determination	Winner	Al Noor Training Centre,  Dubai
	1st Runner Up	Springdales School Dubai, Dubai

Category	Position	Schools
Table Lamp	Winner	Rumaitha Al Ansariyah – Cycle 1, Fujairah
	1st Runner Up	Ethen School – Cycle 1, RAK
	1st Runner Up (Tie)	RAK Academy Al Hamra, RAK
	2nd Runner Up	Emirates Future International Academy, Abu Dhabi
Robot	Winner	Mayoor Private School, Abu Dhabi
	1st Runner Up	Zayed Educational Complex – Al Dhait, RAK
	1st Runner Up  (Tie)	Al Ain Junior School, Dubai
	2nd  Runner Up	Al khawaneej School – Cycle 2, Dubai
Garden Furniture	Winner	New Indian Model school, Dubai
	1st  Runner Up	Al Sadiq Islamic English School, Dubai
	2nd Runner Up	Al Aqsa Private School, Ajman

EEG is an accredited NGO of the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and also a member of the United Nations Global Compact, it ensures that when designing and executing its programmes to directly tackle several UN SDG Goals. This particular competition tackled goals; #3: Good Health & Well-Being, #4: Quality Education, #6: Clean water and sanitation, #7: Affordable and Clean Energy, #8: Economic growth, #9: Innovation & infrastructure, #11: Sustainable Cities & Communities, #12, Responsible Consumption & Production, #13: Climate Action, #15: Life on Land and #17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Notes to Editors:

Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) is a professional working group established in 1991 in the United Arab Emirates. It is devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, action programmes and community involvement. EEG is actively encouraged and supported by concerned local and federal government agencies. It is the first environmental NGO in the world to be ISO 14001 certified and the only organisation of its kind in the UAE with accredited status to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). EEG is a member of the UN Global Compact, the Global Urban Development (GUD) and the Global Investors for Sustainable Alliance (GISD). It is also a member of the One Planet Network under the programme of Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) and its Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee (MAC) and Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML), EEG is a full Member (voting) of World Packaging Organisation (WPO).

For more information, contact us: email: eeg@emirates.net.ae; Tel: 04-3448622; Fax: 04-3448677 and please visit our bi-lingual website: http://www.eeg-uae.org; Follow us on LinkedIn, FB; Twitter & Instagram: @eegemirates.