HRH Princess Basma, president of the steering committee of the Queen Alia Competition for Social Responsibility, on Sunday honoured the sponsors and participants in the contest’s 2022 edition.

The competition committee selected “Restoring Ecosystems” as the theme for last year’s competition, with the slogan “Our Small Daily Behavior... Its Impact on Our Environment is Significant”. The aim was to raise awareness among school students and the local community and stimulate social responsibility initiatives to establish a balanced and sustainable relationship with ecosystems, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the ceremony, Princess Basma emphasised that the competition represents a distinctive model for enhancing cooperation between the public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations, research entities and society as a whole.

In the coming years, the competition aims to diversify and increase environmental initiatives, not only in schools, but in the broader community. It also aims to sustain and deepen environmental awareness among all members of society, utilise technology and social media in the field and develop skills to address current and future environmental challenges, the princess said.

The princess also highlighted the importance of the UN Decade as a valuable opportunity that should be seized by individuals, communities and nations to avoid catastrophic climate change. She emphasised that the Jordan Hashemite Human Development Fund (JOHUD) attaches importance to focusing on environmental issues through its programmes and initiatives, instilling environmental concepts in students’ minds, and raising awareness of proper behavioural patterns in this field.

She emphasised the significance of the previous edition of the competition, which addressed climate change issues, reflecting the responsibility of supporting national efforts to protect the environment and commitment to its preservation through practical programmes. As a result, 360 seedlings were planted in seven schools as part of the competition.

She expressed appreciation for the cooperation of all national entities and their efforts in the success of the competition, especially the Ministries of Education, Interior, Environment and Agriculture, the Greater Amman Municipality, the Directorate of Military Education and Culture and the UNRWA Education Department. She also commended the role of various media outlets in raising awareness about the competition and its goals.

Bashir Rawashdeh, chairman of the High Committee of the Competition, stated that last year’s competition saw the participation of 667,832 students from schools and universities, as well as members of the community.

He explained that 85 per cent of the proceeds from the 2022 competition were allocated as cash support to the Raja School for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Hearing Impaired in Russeifa, and 15 per cent was allocated to assist students with disabilities in government schools.

Rawashdeh praised the efforts of the partners and supporters of the competition, who over the past 28 years, contributed to human development and expanded public awareness of social issues. This has led to positive change in the lives of individuals and communities, providing a wider range of options for a better future.

Hanan Al Maghribi, the principal of Raja School, commended the role of the competition in assisting the school in developing the educational process and promoting the concept of volunteer work among its students.

Princess Basma presented gifts to representatives and stakeholders, as well as the directorates of education that ranked in the top three places.