One of Dubai’s most recent accomplishments was hosting this year’s United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP28). This conference, which occurs annually, brought the world together at a critical time for global transformative action against climate change. The overarching aim of COP is to agree on ways to address the climate crisis and reduce the harmful ways humans are contributing to this crisis.
Amidst the 85,000 participants or so, was a group of youth aged 10-17 from the Ismaili Community, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the UAE’s goals towards a sustainable environment. A bonus for the students was visiting Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s exhibition on marine life entitled Fragile Beauty. Prince Hussain himself gave them a tour of the photographs which he took personally, revealing the true beauty of the ocean. Every photograph was accompanied by a detailed explanation of the animal, how the image was captured, and a few accounts of his encounters with various forms of aquatic life. When asked about his experience and personal connection with the ocean, he answered that his love of sea life developed at a young age, which fostered his passion for the conservation of marine life. He also added that he began scuba diving at the age of fourteen!
Prince Hussain’s presence in numerous exhibitions, publications and talks has allowed him to create a global platform to raise awareness and inspire younger audiences to protect the most threatened species on the planet.
Visiting COP28 was an enlightening opportunity to learn about the importance of safeguarding the Earth's natural heritage and resources for future generations. As the tour continued, the curiosity and fascination at the glories of the ocean grew. The audience learned how misunderstood the ocean is, and how important its conservation is. An important statistic presented was that 6 - 8 people are killed by sharks every year, whilst 100 million sharks are killed by people in the same time frame. Furthermore, the main risk for the extinction of dolphins is their capture of aquariums and marine parks for human gain. The audience also learned that sea turtles are highly intelligent and curious reptiles, and not marine mammals, as previously thought.
Participation of students in conferences such as COP28 permits the discovery of broader and deeper dimensions of life on land and in deep waters, preparing future generations to be leaders in sustainable practices and effective environmental stewardship.
