Ministry of Environment and Water launches campaign to educate travelers regarding illegal elephant ivory trade

United Arab Emirates, August 9, 2015 – The Ministry of Environment of Water has announced that the educational campaign for travelers which was launched earlier this week and running until August 13, 2015 at the Abu Dhabi International Airport is drawing strong participation from the audience members. The campaign was organized in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Customs and Abu Dhabi Airports, as well as the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the program tackles the issue of illegal elephant ivory trade.

The Ministry also showcased samples of previously confiscated elephant ivory in the market according to public demand, in order to enlighten travelers about the importance of wildlife and as well as the threats the elephant species are being exposed to. Informative reading material was also prepared by the Ministry in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare which was distributed to the audience members during the program.

Engineer Aisha Al-Abdooli, Director of Awareness and Education Department, noted that the campaign aims to promote awareness regarding the legal requirements of ivory trade amongst travelers. This effort is in line with the national initiatives adopted this year directed towards advancing environmental education in the effort cultivate the community’s commitment to enhancing sustainability and safeguard the environment. The Ministry was eager to launch awareness campaigns all year round to boost environmental awareness among tourists, which is an essential component of the UAE’s green objectives. 

The illegal elephant ivory trade campaign was organized to address the increasing incidents of illegal trade in live animals, ivory, leather products, wood sandalwood among other crucial natural resources. The campaign was developed to ensure that UAE will meet its objectives of establishing bio-security and environmental safety within the country in accordance with established international treaties.