Dr. Meshgan M. Al Awar

The Zayed International Prize for the Environment Foundation is one of the major contributions of the United Arab Emirates and probably one of the most important contributions towards achieving environmental sustainability at the regional and global levels. This Foundation has dedicated substantial financial and moral rewards for pioneering and outstanding achievements in favor of environmental integrity and sustainable development. In addition, it organizes and hosts very important local, regional and international activities and events that raise environmental awareness, encourage public participation and provide scientific mitigations and prevention mechanisms for Environmental problems.After being elected Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, H.H. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and Patron of the Zayed Prize, developed a new “Environmental Strategy” for the UAE as part of the country’s “Development Strategy”, which he announced in April 2007. This new “Environmental Strategy” calls for raising environmental awareness as a strategic objective. He further launched an environmental strategy for the Emirate of Dubai targeting safe and healthy living conditions and sustainable development. This has put more work on the shoulders of the Zayed Prize Foundation, which has been and will continue to be quite instrumental in fulfilling these objectives, especially raising environmental awareness.Hence, the Zayed Prize has an important role to play at the local, regional and global levels. It is setting the stage for cooperation and coordination at these three levels.  It is working with grass root organizations, schools, universities, research centers, government organizations and regional and International organizations. The Zayed Prize has a longstanding partnership with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Economic & Social Council (UN-ECOSOC).We are hoping that this website will become a major environmental forum for dialogue and exchange of ideas, as well as for establishing more partnerships towards sustainable living and better environment for present and future generations locally, regionally and globally.