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In an initiative designed to raise environmental awareness and promote knowledge in an interactive and engaging way, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment represented by the Public Parks Department (PPD), Sasol, and ORYX GTL announced the launch of “Fun Days with Qatar e-Nature”, a series of family entertainment activities in seven public parks in Qatar.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the PPD headquarters and attended by officials from the organizing parties as well as representatives of Vodafone Qatar, the official telecommunication sponsor of the event.

Speakers at the press conference reviewed the activities and competitions that will be held as part of the Fun Days activities over 7 Fridays, starting on 8 February and ending on 22 March 2019, from 2 to 6 pm every Friday.

The activities will be held consecutively in Izghawa Park (8 February), Al Shahaniya Park (15 February), Khor Plaza Park (22 February), Celebration Square Park – Al Daayen (1 March), Al Legtaifiya Park (8 March), Al Shamal Park (15 March) and Al Wakrah Public Garden (22 March). Each park will host a fun day so that all areas and communities in Qatar will be covered.

The Fun Days with Qatar e-Nature will feature exciting competitions, fun activities, planting experiences, and interactive games, in addition to various sports such as Zumba, Karate, and kickboxing. Gymmito Fitness Club will present a balance game for children; Vodafone Qatar will present an augmented reality game to educate children about online safety; and Sasol will present a “small steps for healthy habits” game. Moreover, “This is Qatar” will offer photography workshops for adults.

PPD Director Mohammed Al Khoori commented: “Through its various departments, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment is working to promote the culture of sustainability and environment protection and to encourage people, especially the young, to plant trees and increase green spaces. The objectives of the Fun Days initiative and Qatar e-Nature in general are in line with these efforts. We thank Sasol and ORYX GTL for this initiative and we wish all family members a great time in the seven parks.”

Winners in the weekly contests, and in a draw that will take place at the end of the Fun Days, will receive valuable prizes presented by the sponsors and supporters of the event including Vodafone Qatar, Flik Cinema, AURA, and Baladna Farm. The prizes include mobile phones, cinema tickets, entertainment vouchers, and more.

Jack Saba, General Manager of Public Affairs at Sasol, said: “Fun Days with Qatar e-Nature is an extension of the Qatar e-Nature initiative, reflecting Sasol’s commitment to raise environmental awareness and educate people about the rich diversity of Qatar’s nature and the importance of protecting the environment. Different parks throughout Qatar were selected to directly engage and reach the largest possible audience. We thank the Public Parks Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, ORYX GTL, and all the sponsors for their support and cooperation.”

Questions at the competitions and planting experiences will be based on content that is available free of charge in the Qatar e-Nature application and website in Arabic and English. Launched by Sasol, the application contains official information about plants, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, marine life, and nature reserves in Qatar.

Mohamed Al Enazi, Chief Administration Officer at ORYX GTL said: “We are pleased to be part of this important environmental event, which is in line with ORYX GTL’s vision and commitment to raise environmental awareness among the public and encourage children to plant trees. We thank all partners and sponsors for their efforts and call on everyone to participate in and enjoy the Fun Days.”

For his part, Mohamed Al Yami, Executive Director for Foreign Affairs at Vodafone Qatar, said: “We are delighted to be the telecommunication partner of this event. We are committed to promoting online safety in the society, and the Fun Days gives us a good opportunity to harmoniously integrate digital education with environmental education. Based on our award-winning electronic safety program, we created an augmented reality game to help children learn how to protect their personal information on the internet, identify fake messages and prevent cyberbullying through a series of fun interactive activities.”

Qatar e-Nature is the first smartphone application of its kind. It sheds light on Qatar’s rich environmental diversity. Sasol cooperated with the Friends of the Environment Center to develop the application to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. The application is available for download free of charge on Apple Store, Google Play and Windows Store.