Report by India Education bureau, New Delhi: Seeking to generate awareness among students on environmental issues, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) recently launched the Dubai Cares’ “Million Book Challenge” initiative in schools across the city amid much fanfare.

 

As part of the programme, TERI organised workshops and distributed books in Delhi schools. In the event held at New Delhi’s Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector – 3, Rohini, over 100 students and 5 teachers were sensitised on issues pertaining to sustainable development through entertaining activities such as puppetry. Over 1,000 books published by the Institute’s publishing arm--TERI Press--were also distributed among the attendees. Similar activities were held in Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, Delhi Cantonment for nearly 240 students and 7 teachers. TERI Press also distributed 3000 books--ranging from environmental conservation to biodiversity—among the students free of cost.

 

The Dubai Cares initiative—widely viewed as a paradigm-altering philanthropic venture--aims at funding and ensuring the distribution of books on a variety of topics to underprivileged children in third world nations and is the flagship project of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the Emir of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It aims at enabling the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals, and currently is operating in over 24 nations, and has already reached out to over 5 million people.

In India, Dubai Cares is working alongside TERI to ensure that underprivileged Indian children are accorded the opportunity to receive world-class education.