Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi organizes an awareness day in collaboration with Multiply Marketing Consultancy

31 October, 2017

Under the theme “Do not Bin it, Donate it”, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi organized an awareness day in collaboration with Multiply Marketing Consultancy, G Association and the Emirates Red Crescent. The event took place yesterday at the university’s campus in the presence of the university’s management, employees and students, Mrs. Samia Bouazza from Multiply Marketing Consultancy, Mrs. Lina Tayara from G Association and Mr. Sultan Al Shehi from Emirates Red Crescent.
The event aimed to raise awareness and encourage food waste reduction among the university’s students and employees as well engage the university’s community in #Food Not Trash initiative.
Mrs. Samia Bouazza, Multiply’s Managing Director explained: “‘FoodNotTrash’ is an initiative launched by Multiply Marketing Consultancy that aims to raise awareness of food waste in the United Arab Emirates and beyond. The initiative’s objective is to empower people with the knowledge to plan and purchase responsibly, store food effectively and reuse leftovers efficiently, all in an effort to drastically decrease food waste. According to official estimates, the UAE currently wastes AED 15 billion ($ 4 billion) worth of food every year and we believe that every resident can have a positive contribution when given the right information and tools”.
Dr. Fatima Al Shamsi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for administrative affairs at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi said: “Organizing awareness and educational initiatives in collaboration with local entities, is a great opportunity for our students to learn more about the importance of being an active member in the community. This awareness day highlights the importance of saving grace and feel with the people in need. We are confident that this initiative will make a positive difference among our students in the long term”.
Mr. Sultan Al Shehi, project manager of the Saving Grace programme explained: “This programme is very successful throughout the UAE as it helps reducing the food waste and other commodities and reaches out to families in need through the redistribution of food, clothes, furniture and medicine. We encourage the students and their families to do the same and save food at their own homes”.

The event started with an opening speech, followed by an interactive panel discussing the Food Not Trash initiative and Saving Grace programme. At the end, students purchased food from the cafeteria to donate half of their meal or buy extra ones and pack them into boxes with the help of the Red Crescent who took care of distributing the food to the families in need.