Environment Minister launches “Return of the Flowers” campaign
The Minister of Environment, Energy and Water Honourable Ahmed Abdulla has launched a campaign to revive flowering plants in Male’. The “Return of the Flowers” campaign will be implemented by the Scout Association of Maldives in partnership with the environment ministry and Male’ Municipality.
At the ceremony held tonight at Imaaduddin School hall, honorable Ahmed Abdulla remarked that he had high hopes that this project would help to significantly increase the number of flowering plants of the species marked for this project, of which very few can be found in Male’ at present. He also remarked that this project would be a very important contribution towards the call made by His Excellency President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for each and every citizen to plant at least one tree, at the launching ceremony of the UNEP Billion Trees campaign in Maldives. The Minister also thanked the staff of Male’ Municipality for their valuable contributions to the tree planting programmes in Male’.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association of Maldives Mr. Ahmed Ali Manik said that since its inception a century ago, the Scout Movement has given a high priority to conserving trees and tree planting. He also stated that the launching of the tree planting programme in Maldives under the UNEP Billion Trees Campaign by the Chief Scout His Excellency President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has further encouraged and motivated the scouts of Maldives to undertake this tree planting project.
Information on flowering plants was given to the participants at this ceremony by Mr. Mohamed Zahir, the Assistant Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.
15 species of flowering plants will be planted by scouts in Male’ under the project, on this year’s World Environment Day (June 5th). The project is funded by the Government of Maldives.