Some 1,000 student scouts braved the hot Red Sea beaches in Jeddah to pick up litter and make the seaside sparkle for National Day celebrations. The scouts aim to get the message out about the importance of not littering and of keeping the environment clean. The beach cleaning campaign was launched under the slogan “Let's Keep our Environment Beautiful and Clean”. Participants stressed the importance of preserving the environment and the places surrounding it. Scout Leader Ayed Bin Saad Al-Mesfer said: “We want to raise the public awareness about the importance of our environment and encourage people to do volunteer work to protect it.” Forty-six scout groups, each comprising 16 scouts, cleaned several locations including the historical area downtown and nearby places. “We are trying to set an example for the general public and reflect a positive image of the citizens of this country,” one of the volunteers said. Some participants in the campaign said that they had participated out of their deep love for the Kingdom. They said that the National Day is dear to their hearts. “It reminds us of King Abdul Aziz, the founder of the Kingdom,” one of the participants said. The scout movement is very popular in Saudi Arabia and the World Peace Messengers initiative launched by King Abdullah seeks to enhance humanitarian communication, spread tolerance and build bridges between the world's different cultures in a way that serves peace in the world. __
