In the presence of the Minister of Manpower and the President of Ain Shams University... The Faculty of Graduate Studies for Environmental Research celebrates the graduation of new batches of the training program of African and Egyptian climate ambassadors

Mr. Mohamed Saafan, Minister of Manpower and Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, witnessed the graduation ceremony of the training program for African and Egyptian climate ambassadors, in the presence of Mr. Bakri Saeed Othman, President of the African Universities Association and President of Sudan University, Prof. Dr. Hesham Tamraz, Vice President for Community and Environmental Affairs, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Noha Samir Donia, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, and Dr. Huda Helal, director of the faculty's green transformation unit.

The ceremony was attended by the Consul General of the Embassy of Sudan, representing the Sudanese Ambassador, Mr. Sherif Hamid, Advisor to the Minister of Finance, representing Dr. Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, Mr. Ahmed Saada, Assistant Minister of Social Solidarity, representing Dr. Yasmine Al-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Mrs. Nahla Fikri, Head of the Central Administration for Information and Environmental Awareness at the Ministry of Environment, as a representative of Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Dr. Magdy Allam, President of the Climate Specific Union, in cooperation with the Voluntary Team Foundation for Humanitarian Action, headed by Dr. Mostafa El-Sherbiny.

Also, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of the University, praised the efforts of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research and its distinguished and effective role for 40 years, especially in graduating the training program for African and Egyptian climate ambassadors, which is in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030, as well as preparations for the Cop 27 climate summit. His Excellency highlighted the university’s interest in the environment, green transformation and green universities, which is in line with the vision of the Ministry of Environment to transform some cities into green cities, such as converting Sharm El-Sheikh hotels into environmentally friendly hotels, referring to the Ain Shams University alliance with public and private universities to provide all research and proposals on the best ways to implement the transition to green, clean energy and sustainability that contribute to the success of the role of Egypt at the Climate Summit Cop 27 and submitting it to decision makers.

Professor Bakri Saeed Othman, President of the African Universities Association and President of Sudan International University, expressed his happiness to be in the presence of a prestigious university such as Ain Shams University, which discusses an important and very sensitive issue, which is the issue of climate change, which concerns a number of bodies and organizations such as the United Nations.

His Excellency praised the Egyptian efforts to present the Climate Summit Cop 27, appreciating the Egyptian experiences as a model that he wishes African countries to emulate.

Mr. Saafan, Minister of Manpower, expressed his happiness at being among the ranks of Ain Shams University and participating in the graduation ceremony of this number of climate ambassadors, which coincides with the World Environment Day 2022 under the slogan “We only have one land”, which calls us to protect our planet’s limited resources and is in line with the state’s efforts to launch Modern strategies, reducing carbon emissions, in addition to the great development challenges facing our society, such as the problem of water scarcity, poverty, the preservation of natural resources and everything that concerns the file of sustainable development.

In her speech, Prof. Dr. Noha Samir Donia, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, stated that one of the faculty’s goals is to graduate one million climate ambassadors, and that attention to climate and green transformation comes within the activities of the Million Youth Initiative for Climate Adaptation, in partnership with the Volunteer Team Foundation for Humanitarian Action and the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Sustainable Development Experts, and that the logo design demonstrates the importance of Preserving the planet, as the time has come for the international community to unite to act constructively against climate change, which threatens humanity now more than ever.

This conference is an opportunity for African countries to communicate their main message, which is that poorer countries bear the consequences of climate change despite their limited contribution to global emissions.

In addition, it needs more serious assistance to mitigate the risks and damages and achieve the goals of reducing emissions to zero.

Her Excellency also referred to the initiative of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to turn green, which indicates the great progress that Egypt is making in the field of environment, and to ensure the societal and environmental role of Ain Shams University under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of the University.

Her Excellency also stressed the importance of the program and the training of climate ambassadors, as cadres are prepared to be ambassadors who believe in and support environmental issues and challenges within communities, whether local or international.

Mr. Sherif Hamed, Advisor to the Minister of Finance, pointed to the huge interest in sustainable development and green projects and their impact on the environment and public health. His Excellency highlighted the aspects of cooperation with Ain Shams University as an advisory office for some projects adopted by the Ministry of Finance to be environmentally friendly projects and be an example for all ministries.

The Consul General of the Embassy of Sudan added, stressing that the participating ambassadors today will return to their positions loaded with useful knowledge and will provide effective environmental consultations, which will contribute to improving the climate conditions in the region. His Excellency thanked the Egyptian state for its support to African countries and its support for such files that directly affect his country.

Mr. Ahmed Saada, Assistant Minister of Social Solidarity, representing Dr. Yasmine Al-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, indicated that the ministry launched the draft national strategy for volunteering, which aims to expand the concept of volunteering to include all age groups, including children, youth and the elderly, and to establish a mechanism to coordinate efforts between volunteers and volunteer opportunities, noting that the Ministry considers volunteer work one of Egypt's most important resources. .

In addition, young volunteers have participated, during the past years, in all the presidential initiatives in which the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the relevant ministries participated, stressing that community awareness is a shared responsibility among all ministries and agencies, in addition to making it accessible to persons with disabilities.

His Excellency conveyed the desire of the Ministry of Social Solidarity to link the climate ambassadors program and the awareness program, which is one of the social protection programs developed within the framework of investing in people and aims to change negative societal behaviors that impede human development and form positive awareness towards 12 societal issues, namely economic empowerment, education, knowledge and literacy. maternal and child health, positive parenting, early detection of disability, illegal immigration, population increase, female circumcision, child marriage, hygiene and public health, drug control, citizenship and respect for religious and cultural diversity.

In her speech, Mrs. Nahla Fikry, Head of the Central Department for Information and Environmental Awareness at the Ministry of Environment conveyed the greetings of Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, and expressed her happiness at being at Ain Shams University, which has contributed to enriching the scientific and intellectual movement in the Arab world for many years in light of the sustainable development witnessed by the Egyptian state that includes the right The future generations will have natural resources on which the environmental dimension will be the mainstay.

This is in addition to Egypt hosting next November the Climate Conference Cop 27, a conference that discusses the file of climate change as well as major development challenges such as the problem of water scarcity, poverty, equality, the preservation of natural resources, governance problems and all that is concerned with the sustainable development file.

Climate change is a serious issue that hinders all aspects of development, which puts all countries on the same foot, whether developed or developing. What is happening globally makes the problem of climate change the most important problem globally and internationally.

Dr. explained. Magdy Allam, President of the Specific Climate Union, said that the world is facing challenges in climate changes as a result of the industrial revolution, which caused an increase in the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere, and the repercussions and repercussions of that crisis are constantly increasing, threatening the sustainability of natural resources and the future of many living organisms as a result of natural disasters and the spread of epidemics and diseases ..

His Excellency indicated his happiness with the graduation of this batch, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, and the need for more cooperation, measures, programs and serious policies to confront climate change and its negative repercussions on various sectors.

His Excellency announced the beginning of the activation of the General Union of Climate Authorities and Institutions in Egypt.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of the University, honored the representatives of the ministers and ambassadors, in addition to taking memorial photos with the graduate students.