RIYADH: The Diriyah Gate Development Authority has launched a new community campaign as a part of its commitment to be a good neighbor.
The “Plant Your Land” initiative saw 50 Diriyah residents of all ages working together to green their land. The campaign encourages positive interaction between local groups and DGDA is proud to have that deep and strong relationship with the community.
DGDA is at the helm of Diriyah, which seeks to transform the area widely recognized as the “Jewel of the Kingdom” into a global hub for Saudi culture and heritage. As part of this significant undertaking, DGDA has embarked on a mission to engage with every individual in the local community to make sure that all those who live in Diriyah feel part of the work that is being done.
DGDA Community Engagement Associate Director Ahlam Al-Thunayan said that the “Plant Your Land” campaign sat at the heart of this mission, empowering the people of Diriyah to have a hand in critical environmental protection efforts and enhancing the overall amenity of their home.
“The people of Diriyah are fortunate to live in one of the largest cultural and heritage sites in the world and the largest mud-brick city in the world,” she said.
“We are all well aware of the extraordinary benefits trees have to the community and this program is all about getting people involved in bringing those benefits to the place where they live.
“Trees are home to all manner of wildlife and improve the quality of our air,” Al-Thunayan added. “But the benefits are far from solely environmental. They can bring people together, they are landmarks, they build a sense of place and have even been shown to encourage pride in a local area.”
The trees planted as part of the campaign are symbolic of the national emblem of Saudi Arabia, which has a palm tree at its center. DGDA envisions that the planted trees will grow into symbols of the history, strength and prosperity of the people of Diriyah and their bond with the Kingdom.
“Tree planting is not just for a day, it is in many ways an investment in the future,” Al-Thunayan said. “People get immediate satisfaction from planting a tree into the ground and that makes it special, but it’s also the thought of the goodness it will bring to people decades from now.”
