المملكة: “In the footsteps of the ancestors” .. enhancing environmental awareness and combating desertification in the village of Olaya

The event “in the footsteps of the ancestors” was launched, with the wide participation of officials and representatives of official and societal bodies, in addition to the Riyadh pedestrian teams, Haiking Hafar Al -Batin and members of the local community under the auspices of the governor of the Olaya Village Majid Al -Arifi, with the aim of enhancing environmental awareness and preserving plant diversity in the Kingdom.
The journey began from the historical path of Al -Mabays, where the participants marched to a singer, following the slogan “Walk and planting” that links physical activity with environmental responsibility.

The development of vegetation

The trip included introductory stations that highlighted the region’s history and environmental importance, in addition to interactive workshops that focused on preserving vegetation and combating desertification.
In a practical step to translate goals into reality, the participants planted 400 seedlings from the wild Sidr, with the active participation of Eng. Youssef Al -Badr, Director General of the National Center for the Development of Vegetable Cover and Combating Desertification in the Eastern Region, and a number of environmental experts.

This initiative comes within the efforts to rehabilitate natural areas and is in line with the Kingdom’s 2030 vision to achieve environmental balance.
Majid Al -Duwaish, President of the Environmental Environmental Association, stressed the importance of societal cooperation to protect natural resources, noting that the participation of individuals is the cornerstone of achieving sustainable environmental goals.
For his part, the Director General of the National Center for the Development of Plant Cover and Combating Desertification in the Eastern Region, Eng. Youssef Al -Badr, stressed the need to involve society in environmental initiatives, pointing out that these activities enhance the culture of sustainability and support efforts to preserve natural resources.

Dr. Saleh Al -Ansari, an expert on health promotion and the godfather of walking, presented a speech on the importance of walking and interacting with the environment, while Mr. Ibrahim Al -Khamis, representative of the Riyadh Infantry team, pointed to the role of volunteer teams in spreading environmental awareness.

Anti -desertification

The event witnessed the provision of awareness lectures by experts and specialists, which dealt with sustainable afforestation methods, natural resource preservation techniques, ways to combat desertification and increase green spaces.

To ensure the safety of the participants, the Saudi Red Crescent provided medical and ambulance support, in addition to health guidelines about dealing with emergency injuries during environmental and sports events.
At the end of the event, the participants and volunteers were honored in appreciation of their efforts, as the Director General of the National Center for the Development of Vegetable Cover and Combating Desertification in the Eastern Region, and the President of the Environmental Al -Karama Association, presented certificates of thanks and symbolic gifts.

Nayef Al -Duwaish, a member of the Al -Samman Association, revealed future plans to organize similar activities aimed at enhancing the concept of environmental sustainability and encouraging individuals to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
The event concluded with an atmosphere of enthusiasm and positive interaction, amid a wide praise of the importance of these initiatives in promoting societal environmental responsibility and emphasizing the role of individuals in protecting nature in favor of future generations.