December 8th, 2015: Three groups of students from Canadian University Dubai (CUD) have taken part in the 2015 Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) public speaking competition, with one team taking the second runner up position in the 15th edition of the annual debating challenge.
Competing against university teams from across the UAE, Jordan and Oman, the students were challenged to address some of the toughest questions on the global sustainability agenda and present their case in front of a panel of expert judges.
Triumphing over their opponents from AUS, University of Sharjah, and University of Dubai, the prize-winning team was led by third year Health Organization Management student, Iqra Ghani, who took on the topic ‘Environment and Development. Conflict or Harmony?’ arguing that sustainable economic development can be achieved while still preserving the natural environment.
Iqra said, “Our aim was to present that the environment and development can work in harmony; we discussed the major social, economic and environmental problems facing the world today and put forward solutions aligned with the new UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
She continued, “We also felt it was important to highlight what can be done at an individual level, so we gave a motivational speech encouraging everyone to play their part in ensuring environmental sustainability and economic development go hand in hand.”
Fellow participants Shanice Da Costa and Yvonne Ruhumbika meanwhile were challenged to debate the subject ‘Over-population versus Over-consumption: where should we focus?’ Shanice led the debate, discussing the importance of education, women’s empowerment and changing consumer habits to achieve a stable population and responsible environmental citizenship.
The annual speaking competition serves as a platform for young people to analyze and debate environmental issues relevant to the region and to consider sustainable solutions. This year’s event saw more than 50 teams take part in the two-day event. Each of the CUD teams was mentored by faculty members and staff from Student Services.
Among the mentors, Mr. Ryan Sisson, Lecturer in the School of Environment and Health Sciences said, “The Emirates Environmental Group competition is an excellent opportunity for students to learn and apply an inter-disciplinary approach to problem solving. The competition requires them to expand the knowledge gained from their studies and propose innovative solutions to tackle some of the most difficult global environmental issues.”
Winning team member Iqra concluded, “Many people are still not aware of the significance and sensitivity of the environmental challenges we are facing. The competition not only helped me to build upon my knowledge and experience, but sparked my passion to be part of a movement that can educate others, as well as myself, about this important topic.”
Gallery
