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RIYADH: The International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, inaugurated the event at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Al-Fadhli said the “Kingdom is moving towards achieving a qualitative and unprecedented leap in the Middle East in environmental protection and vegetation development.”
He added that “pioneering and ambitious initiatives” will have effects that will be “reflected globally in reducing desertification and enhancing biodiversity, pushing towards a cleaner and more sustainable future, thus improving human quality of life and enhancing well-being.”
The minister highlighted the crown prince’s keenness to encourage innovation and stimulate young Saudis to protect the environment and develop vegetation cover.
He added that the three day event will enhance the exchange of expertise and give access to the experiences of other countries, so that the Kingdom can benefit from them.
The CEO of the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, Dr. Khalid Al-Abdulqader, said visions, experiences, opinions would be exchanged at the forum.
The ideas of specialists, experts, environmentalists, and parties concerned with vegetation cover and combating desertification, afforestation techniques, and investment in parks and reserves would also be discussed, he said.
More than 90 speakers from 20 countries and organizations around the world will engage in 20 dialogue sessions and workshops discussing more than 50 scientific papers.
The CEO added that the exhibition and forum will build bridges of communication between more than 80 exhibitors from government agencies, the private sector, international organizations, and environmental associations to display their projects, products and innovations.