A Green Skills Summit was held today in Kuwait. It was high-level event focused on driving the sustainable transformation of the Kuwaiti economy. This first-of-its-kind event took place under the auspices of Kuwait Environmental Public Authority and the European Union Delegation to the State of Kuwait. It was organized by MERAS Consulting and Fifty Shades Greener. MERAS Consulting and Fifty Shades Greener are organizations that promote green skills education and sustainable development in Kuwait and the GCC region. American International University, IKEA, and Gulf Bank sponsored this innovative event.
The summit brought together high-level speakers from both Kuwait and the European Union, including leading private sector companies, civil society organizations and public institutions. participants shared their experiences and best practices in the fields of green skills and sustainability. The summit served as an important platform for discussing the urgent need to integrate green skills into Kuwait’s education and training sectors as the nation transitions towards a greener economy.
Eng. Samira Al-Kandari, Acting Director General of the Environmental Public Authority stated “Adopting green skills is no longer an option but has become an urgent necessity to face the current environmental challenges. I believe that this conference is a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences on how to integrate these skills into various government sectors, the private sector, and civil society institutions. And transfer knowledge from partner countries, especially the European Union.
At the Environment Public Authority, we support cooperation efforts with all government and civil bodies to lay the foundation for a more sustainable future and economy. Through this, we ensure the prosperity of our planet for future generations, making our environmental awareness a daily behaviour that we instill in the generations of tomorrow. We will build a bright green future with it, to make a difference and inspire the entire world.
H.E. Ms. Anne Koistinen, European Ambassador to the State of Kuwait stated: “I am proud to see prominent Kuwaiti and European institutions, companies and civil society organizations joining hands to exchange best practices and raise awareness about the importance of building a greener and more sustainable future for all.” Ambassador Koistinen added that “the European Union stands ready to continue working with Kuwait on greener and more sustainable solutions. This initiative builds on our previous excellent cooperation on just green transition and sustainability with Kuwaiti institutions including the EPA, Kuwait’s private sector, civil society and universities.
Samia Alduaij, Sustainability Associate at MERAS Consulting, observed: “The Green Skills Summit marks a critical step in preparing Kuwait’s workforce for the green transition. With the rapid growth of green jobs worldwide, our workforce must be ready to seize these opportunities and drive Kuwait’s leadership in the green economy. We at Meras Consulting are proud to have partnered with Ireland’s Fifty Shades Greener to organize this event and deliver educational programs at the secondary and university levels. These programs will equip students with the foundational green skills essential for a sustainable future ”
Raquel Noboa, founder of Fifty Shades Greener commented that “I am incredibly honoured to have had the opportunity to deliver this event in Kuwait with the amazing team at MERAS Consulting. Sustainability is all about collaboration and finding shared solutions. At Fifty Shades Greener, we are deeply committed to the mission of integrating green skills education across sectors, empowering individuals, and preparing societies for the green economy. Our partnership with MERAS Consulting now offers us the opportunity to help build Kuwait’s green economy.
The event highlighted the need for collaboration among the government, private sector, academia, and civil society to foster a shared vision for sustainable economic development. Lama Jamalaldin, Co-Founder and managing partner of MERAS Consulting in her closing remark encouraged participants to sign up for the Alliance “created to continue the green journey with us, add to the conversation and help shape a sustainable future. Moving forward, the momentum generated from this event will guide future initiatives aimed at enhancing green skills education and sustainable practices in Kuwait and beyond.”
