Abu Dhabi, June 2023: The Galleria Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi’s leading community destination, is calling on the public to give back to mother nature as part of World Environment Week. In honour of the Year of Sustainability, The ‘Embrace Nature, Inspire Change’ environmental initiative runs from 08 to 22 June and builds on The Galleria’s ongoing recycling, energy-saving and sustainability efforts.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, The Galleria, in partnership with the Emirates Environmental Group, will plant one tree for the first 3,000 guests who participate in the initiative. To participate, the first 200 guests per day can register for free at the Guest Services desk on level G as of 8 June and until 22 June.

Guests registering to plant a tree in their name, will receive a voucher as a thank you to spend anywhere at The Galleria in recognition of their participation. Participants who wish to do so will be invited to join The Galleria team in helping to plant the trees in Q4. The positive environmental impact of this ambitious initiative as estimated by independent environmental agency ENCON amounts to a carbon offset of around 72,000 kilograms (equivalent to 72 metric tonnes), resulting in the saving of 180 kilowatt hours of electricity.

Commenting on the initiative, David Robinson, CEO of Al Maryah Retail Company, said “The Galleria’s ‘Embrace Nature, Inspire Change’ sustainability initiative in partnership with the Emirates Environmental Group, is about inspiring the Abu Dhabi community to give back to nature during the Year of Sustainability. With climate impact and sustainability at the top of the agenda for the United Arab Emirates, as it prepares to host COP28 later this year, The Galleria is further elevating its contribution to environmental stewardship through this ambitious drive to plant 3,000 trees in Abu Dhabi. This is our way of giving back to nature and honouring the wider Abu Dhabi community that has long regarded The Galleria as their second home.”

Habiba Al Mar'ashi, Co-Founder and Chairperson of Emirates Environmental Group, emphasised the significance of tree planting in the context of sustainability. She stated, "As a prominent environmental protection organisation in the UAE, we have been dedicated to inspiring and involving society as a whole in actively contributing to the Year of Sustainability. This year builds on the legacy of the Founding President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Through this unique partnership with The Galleria, we are excited to launch this ambitious tree-planting initiative that will contribute to Abu Dhabi’s ongoing sustainability drive to enhance air quality and improve our environment.[SH2] "

Guests who participate will be able to redeem their AED 100 reward from 08 to 22 June.