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ISL Qatar hosted Qatar’s popular community outreach initiative #bigbmeetup’s ‘Estedama’ themed edition during Qatar Sustainability Week, in which the innovative ISL Qatar ‘Forest School Project’ was launched. The event brought together many national and international authorities and enthusiasts to debate topics focused on sustainability in Qatar.

ISL Qatar in partnership with Bosco Menezes (Founder of #bigbmeetup and bigbfotografi) organized ‘Estedama’ (Arabic for ‘Sustainability’), a round table eco conversation moderated by Bosco Menezes himself. Amongst the speakers were Fatima Mohammed (Contemporary Qatari Artist), Aisha Al Maadeed (Founder of Greener Future), Khaled Zaki (PADI Ambassador). Joining the debate were the ‘Forest School Project’ team members - Cristina Pawel (Research Institute & Eco School Coordinator), Sean Areias (Head of School), Shashi Narayanan (Architect and Parent Volunteer), Stella Bianchi and Maryam Buraimoh (ISL Qatar IB Diploma students). As the evening progressed, young Qatari female green ambassadors Mariam Al Hajri, Noora Al Muftah and Hamad Al Jabra joined the conversation. ISL Qatar Parent volunteers Amel Sisbane and Shreya Suraj, DEAP volunteer and founder of ‘Anybody Can Draw’ also engaged with the eco debate.

Bosco Menezes, opened the evening with a speech followed by Sean Arieas, Head of School at ISL Qatar.

Prominent Qatari pro-sustainability artist Ms. Fatma Mohammed presented her innovative Abaya made with plastic bottles and spoke about how she was overwhelmed to see the amount of plastic abuse especially during covid.

The evening proceeded with world renowned PADI Ambassador Khaled Zaki giving the audience a master class on the evil of plastic in the ocean with a wonderful educational video.

For ISL Qatar, education is a key element in creating change, providing opportunities for transformation, and engaging with sustainability projects. For this reason, ISL Qatar has been developing several projects that aim to raise awareness of environmental issues. The most significant of these is the ‘Forest School Project’, Qatar’s first of its kind. The ‘Forest School Project’ promises to augment and enhance ISL Qatar’s extensive school gardens. From a learning perspective, the ‘Forest School Project’ is designed to develop students’ awareness of biodiversity, promote eco-friendly activities, alongside inspiring curriculum changes.