A Qatari professional will travel to Antarctica on a mission to help raise awareness in Qatar about climate change and the importance of protecting the environment. Ahead of his expedition to the end of the Earth, he visited schoolchildren in Doha to get them to think Green. Abdulla AlMisnad, a Shell employee, spoke to students of Omar bin AlKhattab Secondary and Preparatory schools about his journey, which is part of the 2041 Inspire Antarctic Expedition. Antarctica is protected from mineral exploration by an international treaty which is due to expire in 2041. The 2041 series of expeditions aim to raise awareness of this deadline and build a global consensus that the moratorium on mineral development in Antarctica should be extended beyond 2041. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi of the UAE is also participating in the mission as a Shell envoy. The two Arabs will be part of a team of 70 people from 28 different countries, who will be exploring the world’s most remote continent. The expedition is led by polar explorer Robert Swan. Shell sees the Antarctic expedition as an opportunity to raise the profile of sustainable development both within the company and in the broader community in Qatar. Abdulla showed the students where he will be travelling in Antarctica, and introduced them to Antarctica’s amazing landscapes and wildlife. He also encouraged them to think about their own impact on the environment and the small changes they can make to lessen their impact. The students, and other members of the public can follow Abdulla’s progress in Antarctica on his blog at www.greeningofoil.com/antarctica.aspx or by joining the Facebook group ‘Qataris for Sustainability’. Abdulla said: “I think the students were excited about my journey and my message about protecting the environment. I hope that they and many more people in Qatar will now follow my progress online. I look forward to telling everybody what I have learned from my Antarctic adventure when I get back home.” http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2010&file=Local_News2010030743859.xml

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