DUBAI: A Pakistani school won the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize of $100,000 after being declared the best Global School in South Asia for its innovative project on water conservation and organic farming at the UN climate conference in Dubai on Friday.
The school is operated by the Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) and was competing for the prize against two other finalists from India and Bangladesh.
Two young representatives of the trust were present at the gathering at the Expo City in Dubai where United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed presented the award.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize honors the legacy of UAE’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan by rewarding small and medium enterprises, non-profit organizations, and high schools addressing health, food, energy, water and climate-related challenges.
The prize has been awarded to 106 recipients in the last 15 years to positively impact the lives of 384 million people worldwide.
“Our project is on water conservation because, in 2025, clean drinking water will finish in Pakistan,” Sumaiya Bibi, 19, told Arab News after receiving the award on behalf of the trust.
After losing her parents in the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan’s Kashmir region, she found a sense of direction by focusing on climate-related projects.
“We want to set up water filtration plants and sensor taps in our school to minimize water wastage,” she said. “We also want to set up a kitchen garden in our school through organic farming so that the children can get nutrition from the organically grown food.”
KORT School and College of Excellence is based in Azad Kashmir and was set up in 2016 for children who were orphaned in the devastating earthquake. The facility is serving over 500 students.
The trust also opened another school in Swabi this October which can house 450 children. For the past several years, KORT has been supporting and providing orphaned children with education, boarding facilities, food, clothing and medical care.
Kinza Bibi, another 19-year-old student at the education institute in Kashmir who also represented the trust at the event said: “We want the children at the school to learn how to preserve clean water.”
According to the founding chairman of the organization, Chaudhry Mohammed Akhtar, the prize money would be used to undertake projects related to clean water and organic farming in rural areas.
The 11 winners of the prize this year were elected in September by a panel of jury members, who evaluated each submission for its contribution and commitment to delivering impactful, innovative, and inspiring solutions across the six categories of health, food, energy, water, climate action and global high schools.
This year, the 11 winners across all these categories shared a total prize fund of $3.6 million for their pioneering solutions to transform lives and accelerate environmental change around the world.
Pakistani school wins $100,000 Zayed Prize for Sustainability at UAE's COP28 conference
https://arab.news/cs59w
Pakistani school wins $100,000 Zayed Prize for Sustainability at UAE's COP28 conference
- Located in Azad Kashmir, the school was recognized for water conservation and organic farming
- Competing with finalists from India and Bangladesh, it was declared the best school in South Asia
Pakistan PM calls for faster CPEC implementation, pledges security for Chinese workers
- Shehbaz Sharif pushes expanded cooperation in agriculture, IT and mining under CPEC phase two
- Chinese envoy reaffirms Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and economic development
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for speeding up projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and pledged stronger security guarantees for Chinese workers and investments, during a meeting with China’s ambassador in Islamabad.
Sharif made the remarks as the two countries strive to launch the second phase of CPEC, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure and energy initiative launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
CPEC’s first phase focused largely on power generation and transport infrastructure aimed at easing Pakistan’s chronic energy shortages and improving connectivity. The second phase seeks to expand cooperation into industrial development, with an emphasis on special economic zones and export-oriented growth.
“While highlighting the importance of accelerating ongoing CPEC projects, the Prime Minister stressed on the need to enhance cooperation in agriculture and IT and mining & minerals,” said a statement circulated by the PM Office after the meeting.
“He also underscored Pakistan’s resolve to provide a secure and conducive environment for Chinese personnel, investments, and institutions in Pakistan,” it added.
Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan have faced security threats in the past, including attacks by militant groups targeting infrastructure sites and convoys. Islamabad has repeatedly vowed to tighten security and has deployed special protection units for Chinese workers.
China is Pakistan’s closest ally in the region and a key economic partner, with CPEC widely regarded by Islamabad as central to long-term economic growth.
During the meeting, the prime minister conveyed greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, particularly on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.
China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, reiterated Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and socioeconomic development, according to the statement. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues and agreed to maintain close coordination.
