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Riyadh: The organizers of the Saudi Arabian Environment Week aim to increase public participation to ensure a prosperous and greener future for the country.

The event began on Sunday and attended the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, and the Minister of State for Anel Al-Jubeir Atlies.

Drash Obaid, one of the participants, told Arab News: “We are here in the environmental awareness initiative, which is creating awareness about our environment for a healthier and greener environment.”

Obaid explained that children can meet in their stand to plant seeds or cuts. Then they can carry their plants with them or donate them to the national parks in the kingdom.

Another activity is “Green Leader”, under the Nations Environment Fund. It is a green bus that symbolizes the country’s sustainability trip from the past to the present.

Weed Al-Balawi, participant in the initiative, said he designed it to “deliver important concepts regarding sustainability, conservation of resources, ancestral heritage and technology in environmental conservation.”

The objective was to guarantee a “simple and pleasant way to benefit the target group, which is the age group of the primary school to the intermediate school,” Al-Balawi said.

She said that the educational stations in the event were created so that the public experienced how people used sustainable practices in the past in a basic daily to coexist with nature and biodiversity.

The final station in the event showed current practices, which include how people are now using technology to protect the environment, Al-Balawi said.

One of the examples that are shown was the camel irrigation place, where people would dig a small well for animals next to those who made them drink.

This ancient technique was used to prevent diseases that extend from animals to humans and to reduce the amount of wastewater.

The issue of this year’s event is “Our environment is a treasure” and will take place until April 26.

The highlight was the debut of the National Environmental Performance Index, a strategic tool to monitor progress and guide politics.

There were 13 agreements signed between the entities of the ministries and the private sector to improve collaboration in environmental projects.