Environment lessons for children to be expanded

An environmental awareness project for schoolchildren in the Syrian capital, Damascus, has been hailed a success, with plans for it to be replicated throughout the country. "I love the environment class. It teaches us how we can maintain the environment. If I see children throwing rubbish on the ground, I pick it up immediately and put it in a bin," Rasha al-Zenji, aged 9, told IRIN in Damascus. The Syrian Environment Association (SEA) and Movimondo, an Italian NGO, recently celebrated the final stage of the project called the "Promotion of Environment Awareness in Basic Education Schools in the old city of Damascus," funded by the British Embassy in the capital. Every week, children from selected schools within the old part of the city, attend a special lesson on the environment, which includes practical elements such as an exhibition and a play. The old city area of Damascus is an historic landmark and the authorities are encouraging locals to preserve the area and keep it clean. "The environment class has changed my daughter's behaviour. She has prompted her family to be involved in maintaining the environment. When we go to a public park she prevents her sisters from picking flowers and always advises people not to destroy the nature," Najat, Rasha's mother, told IRIN. Project leaders say the message is very clear. "We all have a responsibility to do our bit to protect the environment," Movimondo representative in the Middle East, Marie-Helene Kassardjian, told IRIN. "I am satisfied with the results we have reached. However, more work is needed on the environment," she added. The NGO provided technical assistance by training SEA volunteers to teach 540 schoolchildren in the old city of Damascus. Children are the best tool to reach adults because children can share what they have learned with families and relatives, she explained. The first stage of the project was implemented in 2004 and focused on recycling materials such as plastic, bottles, glass and paper. While the second stage of the project, which ended in May 2005, was aimed at preserving Qassioun Mountain and the Barada River, which runs through Damascus. A play written and acted out by children reminded people how Damascus once was, when the mountain was covered with trees, the air was clean and the Barada River was clear. In addition, an exhibition included drawings and a number of devices made from recycled materials to measure rainfall and air pressure. "We chose the old city of Damascus as a starting point. Then the project will be expanded to cover the city as a whole," Mai al-A'ssar, deputy chairperson of SEA, told IRIN "The topic of the environment is integrated into all school curriculums in Syria. However, the MoE is making relentless efforts to heighten the awareness in schools across the country," a source from the MoE told IRIN.