Beirut, April 27th, 2017: IBDAA, the International Biodiversity Day at AUB, is an annual poster forum organized by the American University of Beirut – Nature Conservation Center (AUB – NCC) to celebrate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on May 22nd; the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB).
Through IBDAA’s unconventional approach to the education experience, students are able to translate their creative potential into practical solutions for the preservation of their environment. IBDAA gives students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills, benefit from forming bio-networks, and gain expertise from the jury of field specialists.
This year, and as an initial step to making IBDAA a nationwide event, the NCC has invited students and faculty from other universities to participate in the forum. The turnout is the largest since its launch, with an impressive 300 participants. Lama Miri, one of the previous participants commented “IBDAA literally translates to innovation. It was an eye-opening experience which made me realize that coming up with a creative solution/idea and implementing it wasn’t out of my reach, as a student.”
This year’s theme, “Sustainable Solutions to our Environmental Challenges”, commemorates the decade of success the program has had, focusing on the ecological needs of the region. By presenting students with social entrepreneurship topics such as this one, IBDAA draws out frontward thinking and develops necessary competencies for sustainable development. “I am proud to see IBDAA, for the 11th year, successfully instill students with the principles for creating solutions to real world social and environmental challenges. Students are encouraged to collaborate across years and disciplines in an out-of-the-box approach for sustainable innovation. I am especially happy to see IBDAA expanding to include NDU students as we celebrate Lebanon’s wealth of talent and knowledge in this creative platform.” says Dr. Najat A. Saliba, director of NCC.
Participants competed in five different categories: Research, Arts and Humanities, Improved Energy Efficiency and Renewable Resources, Product Development, and Business Plan, for the chance to have their work reviewed, guided, and launched by key figures in the field. There were five monetary prizes of $2,000 for first place and $500 for second in each category, generously supported by Jammal Trust Bank Eco-Innovation Awards, and one monetary prize by the Munib and Angela Masri Institute of Energy & Natural Resources, as well as in-kind donations from several sponsors.