The CB3 Project

"شهدت الدكتورة ياسمين فؤاد، وزيرة البيئة، مراسم توقيع مشروع تعزيز القدرات الوطنية لتحسين المشاركة العامة لتنفيذ اتفاقيات ريو بين وزارة البيئة وبرنامج الأمم المتحدة الإنمائي، [...] وذلك تزامنا مع استعدادات مصر لتحديث استراتيجية التنمية المستدامة، واستضافة مؤتمر الأطراف الـ14 لاتفاقية التنوع البيولوجي بمدينة شرم الشيخ في نوفمبر 2018 والذي سيساهم المشروع في دعمهما"

"البيئة" تطلق مشروع تعزيز القدرات الوطنية لتحسين تنفيذ اتفاقيات "ريو" شهدت الدكتورة ياسمين فؤاد، وزيرة البيئة، مراسم توقيع مشروع تعزيز القدرات الوطنية لتحسين المشاركة العامة لتنفيذ اتفاقيات ريو بين وزارة البيئة وبرنامج الأمم المتح

On World Environment Day, and with the presence of H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Ayla Saleh and Hana Mosaad from Hayah International Academy presented their project. Their project is part of the CB3 International Schools' Competition on the three Rio Conventions.The competition aimed at encouraging students to put their understanding of the Rio Conventions into action. Students actively participated in providing solutions and sharing visions of the changing world they are part of. The information gathered allowed the students to recognize their role in solving environmental issues, as well as develop ideas on how they can do so.

Ayla Saleh and Hana Mosaad came up with the idea of and engineered the "Mirror Lamp". The two students offered a cheap and environmentally friendly solution to save electricity. Following their business plan, models, and accounts they presented, they were recommended to advertise the product in the Egyptian market as a next step.The two students had the UNFCCC as their convention of focus, but were also able to effectively demonstrate the intersections between climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

"The CB3 Compitition was a very fun and slightly challenging experience, I've learned so much about the Rio conventions and the real state of climate change. The CB3 made me feel like I was actually making a difference, and I really appreciate that. Hope I can join again next year!" -Ayla Saleh

"Getting accepted into the CB3 project was an honor. It was a completely new experience to present my idea in front of people who will actually take it into consideration. I would have liked if the participants had previous experience with Webex, or used zoom, or, even better, had presented face to face but that's okay. Meeting H.E. the minister Dr. Yasmine Fouad was something that not all people get to experience, and I am grateful I was able to do that." -Hana Mosaad

وزارة البيئة - Ministry of Environment
UNDP Egypt

On World Environment Day, and with the presence of H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Jana Hisham from Hayah International Academy presented her project. The project is part of the CB3 International Schools' Competition on the three Rio Conventions.The competition aimed at encouraging students to put their understanding of the Rio Conventions into action. Students actively participated in providing solutions and sharing visions of the changing world they are part of. The information gathered allowed the students to recognize their role in solving environmental issues, as well as develop ideas on how they can do so.

Jana Hisham examined the impact of climate change on soil degradation in the Delta region.Through the data collected and her calculations, Jana has found a high correlation coefficient. Jana wants to continue her field work to collect the data necessary to refine the results, after the coronavirus recedes.The student had the UNCCD and the UNFCCC as her conventions of focus, and was able to effectively demonstrate the intersections between climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

"It was a really nice experience to meet professionals on this topic that I am very passionate about. and to get good tips on how I can extend my research even more was very helpful. and it was also very nice to see my project come to life , and to know that I am helping my community become aware of what’s happening was a really nice sense of accomplishment.." -Jana Hisham

وزارة البيئة - Ministry of Environment
UNDP Egypt

On World Environment Day, and with the presence of H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, a group of five students (Khadija, Judy, Khadija, Abdullah, and Omar) from Hayah International Academy presented their project. Their project is part of the CB3 International Schools' Competition on the three Rio Conventions.The competition aimed at encouraging students to put their understanding of the Rio Conventions into action. Students actively participated in providing solutions and sharing visions of the changing world they are part of. The information gathered allowed the students to recognize their role in solving environmental issues, as well as develop ideas on how they can do so.

Khadija ElLeithy, Judi Yassin, Khadija ElNaggar, Abdullah ElSewedy, and Omar Hassan prepared an educational video for children on biodiversity. It highlights the environmental systems and vital areas in Egypt and recommends positive behaviors to preserve them. H.E the Minister of Environment showed great interest in expanding this project. The five students had the CBD as their convention of focus, but were also able to effectively demonstrate the intersections between climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

"I really enjoyed this competition and I feel like it made me more aware of Egypt’s different ecosystems and biomes which need to be protected. It was kind of challenging, but that’s how I know that I benefited from it. I also found it very fun because my group and I were able to work together to create a fun video which will hopefully encourage more people to help save and protect the ecosystems and biomes in Egypt, as well as the rest of the Earth." -Khadija ElLeithy

"The experience we had with the CB3 Project was great. It allowed us to share our ideas on how to educate future generations about biodiversity. We hoped that it would help to preserve the phenomenal biodiversity in Egypt. I think the CB3 allows students to make an impact while getting educated on the topic themselves at the same time. All in all, very fun." -Judi Yassin

"I learned a lot from participating in the CB3 project. I was given the opportunity to research more about my country, and to also give my suggestions that hopefully would be useful. Through the project I got to meet other students my age that are as passionate as I am about our country’s environment. It was truly an unforgettable and informative experience working with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment. I am beyond thankful for this opportunity. Thank you" -Khadija ElNaggar

"This experience was very eye opening for me it made me realize things that I have not realized before and I have learned new things about our environment that I think everyone should know and this is exactly why we decided to join the project." -Abdullah ElSewedy

"CB3 was an amazing experience. It was a fun and interactive project where we were able to influence others in a positive way. I want to thank everyone who was part of this experience." -Omar Hassan

وزارة البيئة - Ministry of Environment
UNDP Egypt

On World Environment Day, and with the presence of H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Nezar Sanad and Mohamed ElOufy from British Columbia Canadian International School - BCCIS presented their project. Their project is part of the CB3 International Schools' Competition on the three Rio Conventions.The competition aimed at encouraging students to put their understanding of the Rio Conventions into action. Students actively participated in providing solutions and sharing visions of the changing world they are part of. The information gathered allowed the students to recognize their role in solving environmental issues, as well as develop ideas on how they can do so.

Nezar and Mohamed prepared research on solutions for desertification in the Egyptian community. They offer practical solutions including environmentally friendly chemical solutions and nature-based solutions. They want to continue their research with experts to improve their vision and bring their proposals into practice. The two students had the UNCCD as their convention of focus, but were also able to effectively demonstrate the intersections between climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

"The CB3 Project was an amazing experience for me. Many thanks to the CB3 team and the Ministry of Environment for giving me this opportunity. It was very eye-opening and showed me the importance of protecting the environment. Programs like these are important as they spread awareness about environmental issues facing Egypt and the world. We need to increase the engagement of the youth in creating a better world for ourselves and the future generations." -Nezar Sanad

"First of all, before starting to share my experiences, I would like to thank the CB3 team for an incredible competition, an incredible two-days event, as well as for the past couple of months. It was very fun, yet with a bit of challenge. Nezar and I worked really hard on perfecting this event and we tried our best. We really enjoyed making the content, and research. I still can't forget the countless nights that we had while researching and perfecting the content. however, with all that in mind, it was an incredible event that I was very happy to attend. I would like to thank every person who was involved." -Mohamed ElOufy

وزارة البيئة - Ministry of Environment
UNDP Egypt

On World Environment Day, and with the presence of H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Rola Zaghloul and Gamila Hafez from Manor House International School presented their project. Their project is part of the CB3 International Schools' Competition on the three Rio Conventions.The competition aimed at encouraging students to put their understanding of the Rio Conventions into action. Students actively participated in providing solutions and sharing visions of the changing world they are part of. The information gathered allowed the students to recognize their role in solving environmental issues, as well as develop ideas on how they can do so.

Rola and Gamila prepared a two-minute awareness video for their classmates. The video showed clear relationships between pollution and climate change. Not only that, but it also provides an overview of individual and national solutions to these issues. The two students had the UNFCCC as their convention of focus, but were also able to effectively demonstrate the intersections between climate change, desertification, and biodiversity.

"This presentation benefited me on different levels. It gave me the opportunity to learn more about the major problems in the ecosystem. It definitely broadened my horizons regarding the issues we discussed. The presentation helped me learn more about the different types of pollution and how it contributes to the overall levels of climate change on Earth. I was also able to understand better the correlation between the decreased levels of pollution with the quarantine taking place nowadays. This made me further convinced of finding solutions that incorporate sustainable development which will allow us to further reduce carbon emissions and pollution in general. Aside from the information my partner and I gathered and the new information I’ve learned from the other presentations, this experience had a positive impact on my confidence levels and improved my speaking skills. Having the chance to present in front of the Minister of the Environment is definitely an unforgettable moment not everyone gets to have, and for that I am grateful." - Rola Zaghloul

"This project helped in that I actually learned to do something important, and for the first time in my life, I actually felt like I did something useful. I personally enjoyed doing this project so much." - Gamila Hafez

وزارة البيئة - Ministry of Environment
UNDP Egypt

Egypt is distinguished by the variety of its natural environments represented by desert, semi desert, marine and mountain environments. These natural environments, in return, affect its cultures, customs and traditions, notably the different languages spoken by Egyptians like the Amazeghian language, the Fadegat and Kenoz languages in Siwa, and the Abdet language in the South Red Sea. These customs are also represented by several arts, taking cooking as a prime example.

For these reasons, The Ministry of Environment, in cooperation and with the support of the CB3, Migratory Soaring Birds, Protected Areas Financial Sustainability, XIV Biological Diversity Conference Projects, organized the first “Festival of Nature and Local Cultures” at Wadi Degla Protected Area, Cairo, from 22 to 24 August 2019. The festival collected a diversity of Egyptian arts from several cultures and environments for those full days.

Within the framework of the implementation of the Egyptian International Initiative for Linking International Environmental Conventions, including the Rio Conventions on Climate Change and Combating Desertification and Biodiversity”, the Egyptian Ministry of Environment and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina launched the initiative “Nature Preservation: A Lifestyle and Human Commitment” with the CB3 Project on November 30th 2019.

The training and awareness program targeted university students from different colleges. The program primarily targets youth especially Alexandria University students. A total of 250 individuals have attended the event published by Bibliotheca Alexandrina on social media and other platforms. 32 students were invited from Cairo University “Faculty of Engineering” also attended this event.