The Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum held a beach cleanup at Long Beach, Christ Church, as part of its 2023 AIS Youth Ambassador Programme to commemorate World Clean Up Day, celebrated annually on September 16.
The AIS Forum has been working on four collaborative areas — climate change mitigation and adaptation, blue economy and ecotourism, marine plastic debris, and good maritime governance for archipelagic island states globally.
This event was organized by AIS Forum Youth Ambassador for Barbados and Founder of the Erline Bradshaw Foundation, Gabrielle Gay.
The Beach Clean Up featured multiple local organisations such as the Caribbean Youth Environment Network, the Barbados Environmental Conservation Trust, The University of The West Indies Cave Hill Campus and the Club Soroptimist International Barbados.
The team collected 28 bags with more than 173 pounds of garbage.
Gay said plastic pollution makes up 80 per cent of the waste on beaches worldwide and has deeply negative effects on beaches in Barbados.
“This is why a beach clean-up of this magnitude was of vast importance,” she said.
Moreover, Gay highlighted the support from organisations and communities that joined the event.
“I also wish to express gratitude to the organisations that attended to the beach clean-up. The volunteering of their time and effort played a pivotal role in the beach clean-up’s success,” she said.
The event was held as part of the commitment of AIS Forum in supporting youth across the Caribbean and globally, who are engaged in positive activities for the blue ecosystem.
The AIS Youth Ambassador Programme is a network of young leaders from all AIS countries who directly participate in the regional meetings and events in the designated AIS countries. Ambassadors also benefit from training sessions with experts and gain recognition for activities conducted in their local communities in support of SDG 14.
(Write Right PR Services)
