Ministry of Education (MoE)'s ‘Farukoe’ programme launched Farukoe Expo at the National Art Gallery on Thursday.
Farukoe Expo was held as a one-day fair featuring seminars from prominent initiatives and stalls from NGOs, schools and research foundations, with a focus on awareness and information dissemination through interactive and fun activities.
The Minister of Tourism Moosa Zameer, launched the 'Farukoe' website at the Expo, whilst pledging to never drink from single-use plastic water bottles. The website is accessible via the url: www.farukoe.com.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Education, Aishath Shiham, announced that State Trading Organization has pledged to donate cloth bags to every school in the nation, along with UNICEF pledging to donate reusable bottles for every 1st grader, nationwide.
The highlight of the event – the vibrant smiles of the students who voluntarily manned the majority of the stalls.
Sync with the Ocean - Iskandhar School
Faru Dholhi - Dharumavantha School
Long Live Plastic? - Aminiya School
Choose To Refuse - Majeedhiya School
Our Reef Our Life - Imaduddin School
Think Smart, Think Green, Recycle - Jamaluddin School
Alhuganduge Vaahaka - Hiriya School
Friends of Nature (Frona) - Muhiddin School
Plastic Noon Gotheh - Maldives Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society (MACCS)
Moodhu Bulhaa
Save the Beach
Olive Ridley Project
Dive Desk
Island Bazaar
Manta Trust
IDEAS
Parley
Divers Lodge
Blue Marine Foundation
IUCN
UNICEF
The stalls focused on addressing the dangers of plastic pollution through mind-boggling questionnaires, arts and crafts, information-packed conversations and many more thought-provoking interactions.
Farukoe is a project by MoE to ensure each and every single student experiences the reef at least once in their lives, all the while combatting the detrimental effects of plastic pollution and plastic use.
The initiative aims to develop a ‘marine community’ through snorkelling, waste management activities and the ultimate banning of single-use plastics. This community focuses on empowering students, educators and children to become a ‘Voice for the Ocean’ by attempting to raise awareness on the fragile nature of the Maldives’ reef ecosystems, and invoke their love for the environment and its conservation.
Students are recognized for their efforts and contribution to shaping the future of their vulnerable nation.
As such, Farukoe is a conscious effort to educate and enlighten youth, helping them foresee their future and prepare them to live in harmony with the ocean.
Farukoe looks ahead to the year with great anticipation of achieving the goal of every child enrolled in public education to experience the wonders of the reef and the sea in 2018.
To date, 40 percent of the total student population has gone on snorkelling excursions through the programme. Now, over 30,000 students have witnessed a living, vibrant reef.
There are 212 schools across the Maldivian archipelago, out of which 182 schools have already banned single-use plastics.
- Half a million straws are used around the world every day.
- Approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide annually, with more than one million bags used every minute.
- 44 percent of all seabird species, 22 percent of cetaceans, all sea turtle species and a growing list of fish species have been documented with plastic in or around their bodies.
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