Graduation ceremony for the first and second batches of the Climate Ambassadors Preparation Program

Dr. Yasmeen Fouad, Minister of Environment, stressed during the celebration the importance of the issue of climate change, which has had significant impacts on all sectors and impedes all aspects of development, as it has become one of the most serious challenges facing all countries, noting that facing these challenges has become the responsibility of all countries, whether developing or advanced, as the Paris Agreement put the responsibility on everyone.

The Minister of Environment added that we seek for the 27th COP to have tangible results for developing countries and the continent, and we also aim to have an impact on raising awareness and changing behavior and practices. We have no other choice but to try to make the planet accommodate us all because We don't have another planet to live on, so we must work hard daily to be able to meet these challenges.

The Minister of Environment expressed her happiness in graduating 500 trainees of climate ambassadors, who will have a great contribution to serving the issue of climate change by applying what they have studied in the training course and their contribution to educating other future generations, given the great need for a generation aware and familiar with this issue, especially as we are on the verge of Hosting the 27th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change.

The Minister of Environment indicated that there are several important issues that concern us at the level of climate change, such as available financing, technology, and adaptation. Needed by developing countries, which desperately need to adapt to climate change.

On his part, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of the University, during his speech on the university’s keenness in all its faculties to work diligently on the environmental file, pointing out that the current time is one of the most important times to pay attention to the climate change file, in preparation for Egypt to take over the organization of the COP 27 climate conference in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, which Egypt succeeded in During the great efforts made by the Ministry of Environment, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to seize the opportunity to organize it, noting the importance of mobilizing efforts to help organize this important event.

He explained that Ain Shams University is following in the footsteps of international universities in interest in the transition to green and sustainability and being a green university, which adds greater challenges to the university, which formed a committee aimed at establishing a sustainability office at Ain Shams University on the grounds that Ain Shams University is the first university to have a specialized Faculty that By teaching environmental sciences in the entire region, and having the scientific and academic staff that can qualify the team of climate action volunteers to be inspiring and influential in mobilizing the energies of young people towards climate adaptation, and contributing to a team of climate volunteers in any organizational work for any global event.

Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini added that also within the framework of the university’s interest in the environment, a unit was established to transform green, to illuminate the university campus with solar-powered lighting poles, and to recycle water use in various ways, and a carbon footprint was made for the university and a program was provided on smart phones to measure it, pointing out that Ain University Shams is working in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment on this important file.

Advisor Dr. Ahmed Saada, Deputy Minister of Solidarity, explained that the ceremony is being held in conjunction with the great development efforts that are taking place in Egypt, stressing that volunteering is a concept that we want to consolidate in all segments of society, young and old, adding that the Ministry of Social Solidarity encourages participation and volunteering and coordinates efforts with all parties for participation and initiative. On this important subject, the Ministry of Social Solidarity encourages the civil society to participate in the Cop 27 conference, stressing that Egypt has a strong and aware civil society that can participate with great efforts.

Counselor Ashraf El-Far, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, stressed in his speech that serious work for our beloved Egypt is a duty for all of us, stressing that the coming period will witness many projects with Ain Shams University in cooperation with the Ministry.

In her speech, Prof. Dr. Noha Samir Donia, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Research, explained that the faculty is in the process of preparing an educational platform during the coming period, Shams Bey Green, that includes all information related to green transformation and climate changes and contributes to the individual's effective participation in facing the issue of climate change, and an application has been made to calculate the carbon footprint. For the individual in Arabic in order to raise his awareness and reduce his practices related to the carbon footprint of water consumption, energy, waste and transportation, which is the first unique experience and the first of its kind in the Arab countries and the Middle East

Dr. Hoda Helal indicated that the training program “Preparing Climate Ambassadors” comes within the framework of Egypt’s preparations to host the 27th COP, as the program aims to qualify young people to be environmental ambassadors on the most pressing climate change issues and to acquire strong leadership skills to inspire others and mobilize youth energies towards Climate adaptation in a way that enables them to participate in the organizational work of any global events.

Ibrahim Ramadan emphasized that Egypt is in the process of building and changing awareness towards the climate file and the culture of citizens, to change their own trends and attract their attention towards the file of environmental changes.

Dr. Mostafa El-Sherbiny, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Team Foundation for Voluntary Humanitarian Work, delivered a speech in which he explained that the Voluntary Work Foundation is an organization that seeks active participation and volunteering in all community issues and that seeks to create a simulation model for education and awareness-raising towards the environment and climate change.

He explained that the Foundation seeks to qualify trainers of climate ambassadors from Egyptian university students so that the number of climate ambassadors reaches one million, and that each climate ambassador pledges to train 250 students from Egyptian universities before the 27th Climate Conference, an experience that Egypt has transferred and seeks to implement.

Minister Plenipotentiary Mahmoud Fathallah, Head of the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs in the League of Arab States, indicated that the events represent a practical step in adapting to climate changes in the Arab region, which has had the largest share of climate changes, as well as a golden opportunity to enhance participation and volunteerism.

At the closing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of the University, presented the university’s shield to Dr. Yasmeen Fouad, Minister of Environment, and the lecturers participating in the program and climate ambassadors from the two batches were honored.