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Science Without Borders®: Democratizing Coral Reef Education at COP 16 in Saudi Arabia

At COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation proudly launched the Arabic version of the Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book. This event marked an important milestone in our efforts to expand global access to vital ocean education. Designed for students aged 9-13, the book uses creative activities and coloring pages to teach about coral bleaching, a critical threat to coral reefs caused by climate change. The launch reflects our commitment to democratizing education, ensuring knowledge about coral reef conservation reaches young minds worldwide.

The book, now available in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish, is part of our broader mission to inspire the next generation to take action to protect our oceans. By focusing on the urgent issue of coral bleaching, we equip students with the knowledge and tools to understand the relationship between climate change and reef health, empowering them to advocate for environmental stewardship. This initiative embodies our motto, “Science Without Borders®,” highlighting the importance of global collaboration and equitable access to educational resources.

The themes of COP16—resilience, restoration, awareness-raising, and youth empowerment—align closely with our work to address the challenges facing coral reefs in a changing climate. Just as COP16 emphasizes these strategies to combat land degradation, our efforts focus on inspiring similar actions to protect and restore vulnerable marine ecosystems.

We are incredibly grateful to Mona Alalawi, President of the Bahrain Women Association for Human Development, for her contribution to translating the book into Arabic. Her support perfectly aligns with the spirit of COP16 – fostering collaboration to address environmental challenges. This partnership highlights how working together with individuals and organizations is essential to advancing our mission of democratizing education and raising awareness.

By translating and distributing the Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book, we raise awareness about coral reefs and empower youth to address pressing environmental challenges. Education must be inclusive and accessible to inspire collective action to protect our planet. As we work to make the book available in more languages, we invite volunteers and organizations to join us in this mission. Together, we can ensure that every child, regardless of language or location, has the opportunity to learn about and act to protect the coral reefs that sustain life on Earth. For more information, contact Amy Heemsoth at [email protected].

Our Reefs at Risk Activity & Coloring Book is Now Available in Arabic!

كتاب تلوين وأنشطة الشعاب المرجانية المعرضة للخطر: تبييض المرجان

الكتاب الأوّل في سلسلة كتب تلوين وأنشطة للشعاب المرجانية المعرضة للخطر، وهو يعلّم الطلاب عن ظاهرة تبييض المرجان. فمن خلال التمارين التفاعلية وصفحات التلوين، تم تصميم هذا الكتاب لمساعدة الطلاب على فهم العلاقة المعقدة بين الشعاب المرجانية والزوكسانثيلا، وفهم الأسباب الجذرية لتبييض المرجان، ومساعدة الطلاب على فهم ما يمكنهم فعله لإحداث فرق.

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