The Media Club inaugurates the opening of its activities under the patronage of Head of Dhofar Municipality;

A students' epic with the participation of 150 students both males and females to look after the environment.

"The management of the Media Club is an advantage to Dhofar University and an encouragement for the voluntary work" Says Head of Dhofar Municipality and adds "Looking after the environment takes different shapes and there is a need to encourage environmental work".

 The Media Club calls for the implanting of the environment concepts and for furthering the environmental sense of the people of our community.

The Omani Environment association encourages coordinating with the civic society and the participation in the different activities to protect the environment.

Within the framework of the efforts of the Public Relations and Information Office in Dhofar University to coordinate with the society, his Excellency Sheikh Salem Bin Ofeet Al-Shanfari, the Head of Dhofar Municipality, inaugurates yesterday morning the ceremony of the Environmental campaign of (Plant for a green city) organized by the Media Club in Public Relations and Information Office – Dhofar University. Within the framework of the university message aiming at serving the society, the Media Club in the Public Relations and Information Office – Dhofar University carried out an environmental campaign contributing to the spreading of the Green colour education in addition to activating the students' role and directing their characters towards building our country via different activities supervised and supported by the university.

The Ceremony starts with the Sultanate anthem and recitations from the holy Quran followed by the Media Club speech delivered by the Information Club supervisor then engineer Musallem al Ktheeri, the environment expert in the General Directorate of Environment and Climatic Affairs in Dhofar governorate delivered a lecture entitled "the Biological Diversity in the sultanate of Oman". This was followed by an information lecture about the Omani Environment Association by Dr. Muhsen al-Amri, member of the Consecutive Council in the Omani Environment Association. His Excellency Sheikh Salem Bin Ofeet alShanfari inaugurates the campaign accompanying exhibition in which the General directorate of Farms and Sultan Gardens in Dhofar Governorate, the General Directorate of Environment and Climatic Affairs in Dhofar governorate, Dhofar municipality, the Omani environment Association, Goten paints, Omani Oil and the Omani national bank all participated to present to the visitors their best activities and efforts in the field of the environment protection and society service.

Yes … for the Society

His Excellency Sheikh Salem states that this initiative is pioneering in its meanings due to the coordination spirit to which the campaign goals call. Seeing about 150 students from different educational associations in the governorate makes us congratulate Dhofar University for this distinctive orientation as the university occupies its position as an intellectual, educational and social center. The slogan which the Media Club has chosen is in harmony with the natural environment of the governorate that is famous for its waters and being green at the level of the Arab peninsula. His Excellency also assures that it is important to look after the green cover God endowed us and to encourage all the individuals and groups at the level of venues, schools, athletic and educational clubs and civic communities. Thanks to the university as this was what it did by merging most institutions mentioned interact with the campaign idea. He added that “Both the private and the public sectors are from the civic community institutions that work hand in hand for the sake of the community even if different means were followed to achieve the goals”. His Excellency also assures that this partnership contributes to changing the ideology of the society towards launching initiatives and encouraging voluntary work especially in the fields that aim at improving the environmental conditions and their sustainability.

Professor Mohammed Faour the university vice chancellor says that the university will encourage voluntary work by all means especially that we have found that our students have the enthusiasm needed which  makes us support and temper it to make it in a form that benefits the civic community.

Mr. Saeed alKathiri, a specialist of the theatrical activities in the directorate of education and a participant in the Media Club campaign, says that with Dhofar university management it becomes clear that the private sector believes in its role in the developmental process and aware of the benefits that result from these contributions which direct our youths abilities in the educational institutions to serve the community. This partnership is considered a step towards intellectual development which is a positive sign that helps comprehensive development which in turn develops the abilities of Oman youths and human resources. AlKathiri adds that we inspire our ideas and visions from the distinctive thinking and the best example is the designation of the cup of his majesty’s Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed, God save him, to the one who maintains cleanliness and health in the school environment, something that implants the concepts of looking after the environment and its cleanliness in the minds of our students. He says: as information is the mirror of society, the Media Club comes to reflect the university care with the environment.

Engineer Musallam bin Ahmad al-Kathiri, environmental expert in the general directorate of environment and climatic affairs in Dhofar governorate says: since the start of renaissance under the leadership of our HM and the comprehensive development is progressing for the prosperity of the Omani citizen. The directions of the leader were that this development be comprehensive and dependent on the principle of sustainability.

According to this strategy and following the Sultan’s directions in this regard the Sultan international award for environment was established and different institutions were founded on top of which is the ministry of environment and climatic affairs and laws and regulations were enacted to protect the environment in the Sultanate.

Al-Kathiri adds that no doubt protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility and requires cooperation among the different organizations and institutions as well as individuals. Our participation with Dhofar University in organizing this environmental campaign is a support to this direction. Invited by Dhofar University, The General Directorate of environment and climatic affairs in Dhofar governorate participates in this campaign in three main activities: A scientific lecture on biodiversity in the Sultanate, planting local trees and a wing for posters on the environment.

The Media Club at its start

The Media Club has goals and visions which have their start in this campaign for a green city and to implement these visions the office of Public Relations and information represented by the Media Club implants the spirit of team work and directs students to realize the importance of their role in serving society as well as clarifying the university role as an educational institution to build the personality of the students. The Media Club is a means to come closer to the environment surrounding the university from families and individuals as the university believes in their unity to achieve social and cultural integrity. The Media Club is proud to show the start its work through this campaign. Eman Al-huraibi, in charge of information, in the Public Relations office, says that the club will carry out lots of activities to promote the university information to make a link between the university and the civic community through the agenda of the activities prepared for this academic year 2009- 2009. Arwa Najjar, head of the Media Club, says that the club is an opportunity presented by the office of Public Relations in Dhofar university to upgrade students thinking as the student will be in direct contact with the society via an activity or a task important to the society. Her vice, Rana Al-sheikh, adds that I am proud to be one of the members of the Media Club because the goals of the club attracted me as the student looks for things that build up his character and widens his skills to be able to participate actively in the civic society after the university prepared him via the university academic programs or via participating with the activities of the Media Club. Khloud Fadel, a member in the club, says that the method the Media Club follows attracts us in the way it organizes its programs in a way that benefits everyone in the university to make people aware of the importance of the environment. Eman Al-huraibe also adds that the slogan of the club plant for a green city gave us another concept of communication with the civic community to promote the information role from mere narration to a real initiative. Our country, led by our lord his majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed God save him, witnesses distinctive shift in different aspects of life, political, social, economic, educational, cultural and scientific.

Dhofar University represented by the office of Public Relations, accordingly, established the Media Club which aims similar to other departments in the university to activate the university role in the civic community and to create a positive connection between the student and the society. The Media Club aims at transferring the university message from inside the university to the whole community to build our lovely country. The role of the Omani youth does not escape you in this regard as the university puts its human resources to achieve this integrity and to benefit from the available institutions to serve the community. Eman Al-huraibi also adds that on behalf of the Media Club members I cordially thank all those who participated in furthering and supporting this campaign including the ministries, governmental offices, the private sector institutions, individuals and groups on top of which the university staff and the general directorate of the Sultan’s farms and gardens as well as the general directorate of environment and climatic affairs in Dhofar governorate, Dhofar municipality, the Omani Association for the environment, Bank Muscat, the national bank of Oman, Omani oil company, Nawras company, Pizza Hut and Modern Oman bakery. I especially thank the members of the office of the Public Relations and information in Dhofar University. I seize the chance to congratulate His Majesty sultan Qaboos bin Saeed, God save him on the occasion of the 38^th anniversary of the national day, happy returning to us all.

Plant for a green city

The campaign of Plant for a green city is a new vision for Dhofar University represented by the office of information and Public Relations renews communication between the university as a prominent educational institution and the civic community. Serving society is the main responsibility of the university to which Dhofar University is strongly committed to serve the community via this campaign. As the tree is the symbol of growth, the information center in the office of Public Relations in Dhofar University embodies a students’ epic to implant the concept of sustainable development with participation from the International Communication Center, Dhofar municipality, the General Directorate of Environment and Climatic Affairs in Dhofar governorate, the General directorate of Farms and Sultan Gardens in Dhofar Governorate, the Omani Association for the Environment, College of Applied Sciences in Salalah, the general directorate of education in Dhofar governorate, Nawras Company, Bank Muscat, Oman National bank and Oman Oil company. The slogan of the Media Club is formed in an imperative way to draw the attention to achieve the green color coverage in a natural protected area for the general directorate of Agriculture and fish treasury in Dhofar governorate. Poets were inspired by the idea of Dhofar University slogan represented by the frankincense tree that distinguish Dhofar governorate; the tree is wrapped with the rainbow colors which interpret the campaign goals. Arawa Najjar, head of the Media Club, stresses that this campaign is the start of a new introduction with the civic community and we in the club seek to achieve more of this positive introduction with which different institutions participated; we thank them all.

A distinguished Participation

Approximately 150 students from Dhofar University and the schools of the general directorate of education in Dhofar governorate as well as some governmental and private institutions participated in the first activities of the Media Club something which makes it successful. Sheik Salem concluded this participation by planting the frankincense tree which is considered the university symbol and one of the local plants in this area as a clear indication for the necessity of looking after plants which have many benefits. Finally, all companies and institutions which participated in this campaign were honored by distributing the certificates of thanks and appreciation.

The Media Club Speech	HE Writes for the Media Club
Students Participate in the Campaign	The Omani Environment Association's Participation
Dhofar Municipality's Exhibition