For the fourth consecutive year, volunteers from American Express Middle East participated in a beach clean-up drive in Hawar Island to mark the International Cleanup Day.

The team of 38 volunteers collected over 50 kg of plastic and other hard wastes.

This community effort was organised by the Aquatic World Awareness Responsibility & Education (Aware), as part of a global effort to help protect underwater environments and spread awareness of a cleaner natural habitat, said an official spokesman.

'American Express annually participates in this campaign in line with our social responsibilities. We believe that support of environmental issues positively impacts the social, cultural and economic prosperity of the country. Sustainable environment requires participation of all members of society and we are happy to build good citizenship values among our staff, through such opportunities,' said senior Regional Employee Counselor for American Express Middle East and North Africa Waheed Zainal.

The International Clean Up Day witnessed over half a million volunteers including divers and shoreline participants of all ages, in more than 100 countries participating in clean up activities with an estimated four million kilograms of beach and marine wastes cleared off the shores across the world. Trade Arabia News Service