UN-Habitat, Canadian Embassy celebrate thanksgiving and Urban October with ‘Let’s Plant Together’ event
As part of the celebrations for Canadian Thanksgiving and Urban October 2025, the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada in Kuwait, the Public Authority for Youth, the Shamiya Nature Reserve, and the Canadian Women’s Network in Kuwait, organized an environmental educational event for children under the theme “Let’s Plant Together!” at the Shamiya Reserve. The event brought together dozens of children and their families.
Falling under this year’s global Urban October theme — “Local Action, Global Impact” — the event aimed to highlight the importance of local environmental initiatives in addressing global climate challenges, while fostering environmental awareness among youth through activities that combined learning with hands-on experiences in nature.
The day featured a variety of interactive activities introducing participants to biodiversity and sustainability principles, teaching children the basics of planting and recycling, and engaging them in storytelling sessions about love for nature, teamwork, and volunteerism.
In her remarks during the event, Canadian Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Tara Scheurwater, expressed her delight in taking part in such a meaningful environmental initiative, saying:
“In Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving in early October as a time to give thanks for the harvest and to honor our deep connection to nature. That’s why we chose to celebrate here in a practical and purposeful way — by planting and connecting with the environment in this beautiful setting.”
She added: “I am proud to see so many volunteers today — Canadians and Kuwaitis, youth, families, and even our embassy team. This spirit of community is what makes such initiatives truly exemplary.”
For her part, Amira Al-Hassan, Head of UN-Habitat in Kuwait, emphasized that this event is part of a continuous series of activities organized by the program in collaboration with the Shamiya Nature Reserve. She said: “This is the fourth year we hold an awareness activity for children in partnership with the Canadian Embassy. We make sure that all our activities are inspired by local nature, and all materials used — seeds, leaves, and branches — come directly from the reserve.”
Al-Hassan stressed the importance of disconnecting from screens and reconnecting with nature, describing the event as “an opportunity for families to gather in a healthy environment that allows children to learn through play and instills in them the spirit of sustainability.
She also noted that the Shamiya Nature Reserve, under the Public Authority for Youth, is a key partner in implementing such initiatives, which are not limited to annual occasions but also include weekly events throughout the year, such as the Date Harvest Season and the Seed Exchange Festival, aimed at supporting agricultural and environmental diversity.
Al-Hassan further highlighted the central role of volunteerism in the success of these initiatives, pointing out that UN-Habitat has a dedicated youth and volunteer section, in addition to the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program, which provides opportunities for community engagement to all.
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