Rafik Hariri University joined global celebrations of Earth Day 2017 on April 20, in an event that endeavored to illuminate the dark sides of the environmental hazards, specifically the threats to marine life in Lebanon. Key note speaker, Mr. Mohamed El Sarji, President of the Lebanese Union of Professional Divers since 1997, and a founding member of the Bahr Loubnan Association, delivered an agitating lecture entitled “Lebanon Under Water: Towards Marine Sustainability in Lebanon.” Furthermore, as a merriment of the day and in alignment with the RHU’s “Sustainable Campus Initiative,” Professor Ahmed Smaili, President of the University, planted a tree in the university premises marking the 47th Earth Day.
Dr. Mahmoud Halablab, RHU professor, delivered a brief presentation of RHU’s “Sustainable Campus Initiative” and welcomed Mr. El Sarji to RHU campus.
Mr. Elsarji spoke about the current status of the Lebanese territorial waters and highlighted some of the environmental disasters that threaten marine life in Lebanon. He noted the presence of a significant wealth of fresh water springs in the Lebanese waters and his discovery of a large bed of hydro-thermal vents. Mr. El Sarji is also credited with the discovery of many ancient underwater Lebanese cities at least 5,000 years old. The attendees watched a video and a photo exhibition that divulged the mysteries and miseries of the continuous abuse and misuse of the Lebanese environmental resources.
It is worth mentioning that the Bahr Loubnan Association was established by the Late Prime Minister, Martyr Rafik Hariri, and is currently guarded by Mrs. Nazik Rafik Hariri, President of RHU Board of Trustees. The Association has funded and supervised the cleaning of the Lebanese shores from the crude oil spills resulting from the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon.
The first Earth Day was launched on April 22nd, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Today, more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. The curators work through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns.
The Earth Day 2016’s theme was “Trees for the Earth” with an ambitious goal of planting 7.8 billion trees – one for every person on the planet – by Earth Day 2020, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the event.