Saudi Arabia will mark the observance of the 40th Earth Day by holding a high-profile workshop focused on the protection of the national mangroves and coastal resources of the Arabian Gulf in the Eastern Province and the Red Sea in the Western Region. Regional and international experts on the environmental protection of mangroves and seacoasts will address the workshop to be held at the Le Gulf Meridien here on April 21. Specialists on mangrove ecology from the Environmental Technology and Management Association (ETNA), the Earth Science Department of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), and Saudi Aramco, the three organizers of the workshop, will be among the speakers during the workshop entitled “Mangrove and Coastal Precious Resources”. “The workshop will hopefully provide a platform for sharing ideas and solutions to problems facing the Kingdom's rich mangrove resources, as well as other environmental concerns besetting the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea,” said Faisal M. Al-Zawad, chairman of the workshop organizing committee. He said highly qualified speakers and respected professionals would present their insights and highlight the opportunities involved in mangrove protection and coastal management. “The topics to be presented during the workshop will shed light on the importance of protecting our mangroves and coastal resources for the public, fisheries, government and industry,” Al-Zawad added. Mangroves are essential resources necessary for preserving biodiversity in coastal regions of the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, which are blessed with still healthy mangroves, sea grasses, and coral reefs. Preserving them requires a delicate balance between the environment and modernization, according to Al-Zawad. Mohamed Ridha Ben Mansour Bin Hassan Nasrallah, chairman of the workshop, said Saudi Arabia is proud of joining the celebration of the 40th annual Earth Day, which has been initiated as an environmental concern by 180 countries around the world. “Today, we recognize the need, more than ever, to get global forces together to protect planet Earth. Challenges facing the world's environment are vast, and the Kingdom is proud to celebrate Earth Day as we have done every year since 1994,” Nasrallah said. The Kingdom's observance of Earth Day this year will be under the patronage of Prince Turki Bin Nasser Bin Abdulaziz, President of the Presidency on Meteorology and Environment.
