Beirut, May 12, 2016: ABC, the Lebanese retail pioneer, launched the second phase of its environmental awareness seminars within its branch in Ashrafieh as part of its waste management program. The launch of the second phase was characterized by the participation of environmental experts, school students and media in the presence of ABC’s CSR Ambassador Nadine Labaki. These influential figures all gathered at ABC Ashrafieh to emphasize the important role that young generations play in developing sustainable environmental solutions and creating behavioral change to maintain a healthy and clean environment.
This phase of ABC’s waste management program is in collaboration with Zero Waste Act, Terre Liban, Cedar Environmental and arcenciel. During the first phase, which took place back in March 2016, ABC hosted more than 300 students from many Lebanese schools. The second phase however is anticipated to attract more than 1,000 students who will be visiting the mall over the course of a week from the 9th till the 13th of May 2016. In addition to that, specialized awareness seminars will be dedicated to the malls’ visitors on the weekend.
In fact, these awareness seminars will continue to take place throughout the year at ABC malls, through which ABC will become a place that embraces environmental experts who represent institutions and NGOs as well as media personnel and a number of schoolchildren, in order to debate and exchange ideas and lay the foundations for an environmentally friendly culture. This is in light of the importance of nurturing younger generations to grow accustomed to appropriate environmental practices and to educate them about their role in creating positive change in Lebanon’s environment.
In her speech, Nadine Labaki, ABC’s CSR Ambassador said, “ABC launches the second phase of its awareness seminars with specialists, associations, schools and the media, which will pave the way for about 1000 students to discover significant behavioral habits and tools that will help them become more environmentally conscious citizens who understand the importance of preserving the environment. We strongly believe that real change will begin with students and the younger generations who are blessed with open minds and hearts full of hope and faith in a better future. “
Labaki also confirmed the importance of the role that ABC has been playing in bringing together experts and students through these awareness seminars and workshops it has been hosting on its premises. It is through these seminars, she stated, that environmental awareness and behavioral change will begin to unfold. These are the changes that have been anticipated for many years so that we can finally guarantee that our children will live in a healthy environment.
The institutions and NGOs participating in this event also shared their outlook on sustainable environmental solutions and the role that students play in bringing them to life today, and in the future. Yvonne El-Hajj from Zero Waste act touched upon the students’ interaction throughout the awareness seminars, how they passed on the information to their parents and how keen they were to apply it.
On his part, Jonathan Tawk from arcenciel stressed the importance of the continuity of such educational awareness seminars, especially for school students which could really contribute to raising environmental awareness among the younger generations.
Environmental activist Paul Abi Rached and representative of T.E.R.R.E Liban, said that real change starts with the younger generations hailing the importance of ABC’s initiative in opening its doors throughout the year for school students from all areas across Lebanon to learn and experience environment-friendly solutions and practices.
Also Ziad Abi Chaker, representative of Cedar Environmental, explained the importance of the zero waste technique, pointing out the significance of the awareness seminars organized and hosted by ABC in the development of environmental awareness among young generations.
ABC demonstrates ongoing commitment to achieve positive change in the Lebanese society. Through its waste management program, it has in fact succeeded in becoming an environmental role model in terms of using alternative sources of energy and reducing its waste by adopting a process of sorting at the source.
ABC is determined to continue with this approach and will magnify its efforts to spread environmental awareness, especially among the younger generations.