Sharjah Aquarium and Sharjah Maritime Museum have together launched the Al Khan Beach Cleanup campaign as part of the International Cleanup Day on October 3.

The cleanup campaign, organised in conjunction with Project Aware and Ocean Conservancy, will cover the beach as well as seabed cleaning. It is part of the commitment of Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) to the community and environment, said its top official.

Manal Ataya, director general, SMD, pointed out that a concerted initiative to clean up the environment was of long-term significance.

"By launching this campaign, we are not only supporting the International Cleanup Day, but also inspiring Sharjah residents and visitors to respect the marine environment and nature and be part of its protection," she noted.

"Aimed at raising awareness, promoting action to protect aquatic habitats and identifying sources of rubbish through data collection, the campaign is part of SMD’s new initiative  ‘Because We Care’ and is open to all."

The objective is to inspire changes in behaviour of all and thus minimise ocean pollution. The campaign will include rubbish collection from the beach by volunteers and the sea bed by invited scuba divers, she added.

Kerwin Porter, curator of Sharjah Aquarium, invited volunteers from all cross-sections of society to join in the cleanup campaign. “The need for all our active involvement in conservation of the environment has never been greater. We have had hundreds of enquires, signalling that the health of the oceans is a serious concern to our visitors."

Khawla Almuhrizi, curator of Sharjah Maritime Museum said: "The marine environment is very fragile and needs timely attention as several species are being endangered because of littering by human beings. The cleanup campaign is an ideal way to strengthen awareness about the marine environment."

"We believe that the one-day campaign will continue to inspire volunteers to take up periodic cleaning up of the beach as well as encourage the public not to litter the beach and sea water," he noted.

"This is a free public cleanup event featuring event T-shirts, refreshments, competitions with great prizes, children’s recycling workshop, and more."

"To participate, a registration form can be filled online at www.sharjahmuseums.ae or through email to wecare@sharjahmuseums.ae. Volunteers can also simply turn up at Al Khan beach on Saturday, October 3, at 9am and register, he added.-TradeArabia News Service