EDA Co-Founder’s Note

26 YEARS & STILL GOING STRONG

I would like to welcome you all to the March issue of ‘Divers for the Environment’. We are turning 26 years old this year, and we’re still going strong to promote safe and good diving practices in the UAE while conserving the marine environment. Last year, we got registered and recognised as a federal official NGO by the Ministry of Community Development in the UAE. Earlier this year, the Community Development Authority of Dubai recognised and registered us as an official NGO in Dubai as well. This is a great recognition of EDA’s efforts in the UAE and the importance of the work we do. Congratulations to all of us for this acknowledgement.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and partners, we are grateful for the support they have given EDA to enable us to continue our mission of conserving and protecting the UAE marine resources. We salute them for being environmentally responsible organisations, and we hope that our partnership will last for a long time.

Dive MENA Expo 2022 – The Leading Diving Exhibition in the region is back this March where the diving community of the UAE and the region meets alongside the Dubai International Boat Show to discuss diving updates and share the latest gear in diving equipment. We’re looking forward to seeing you all there.

I am looking forward to this year’s Digital Online – EDA’s Underwater Photography and Film Competition and seeing all our member’s images of all the varied marine life they have seen in all the places they have dived. I want to thank the judges and wish them luck in their tough job coming up to review all the amazing underwater photos and videos that will be submitted, and I am especially looking forward to the awards ceremony this year.

We are very excited to announce that EDA is relaunching the Reef Check EcoDiver programme as an official Reef Check training facility in the UAE. Watch this space!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank our EDA members who continuously share their insightful diving experiences and underwater pictures with us. Your experiences are imperative in recommending when and where to go diving, as well as what to look out for on your trips.

We hope your passion and enthusiasm continues and you will send us news about your next diving adventures. We always look forward to seeing your next batch of underwater world snaps!

I do hope you enjoy reading this issue of ‘Divers for the Environment’. The EDA team is working tirelessly for another successful year ahead, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all at the next EDA events.

Happy reading and dive safe!

Ibrahim N. Al-Zu’bi

Co-Founder & Executive Director