The embassy of Denmark in Egypt, in collaboration with the rising social start-up, Greenish and with the support of the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, organised the first Nile clean-up event for Danish companies on Wednesday. This event comes as part of Danish companies' corporate social responsibility in sustainable environmental solutions and the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs). A global source of pollution is plastic, as a recent study by the World Economic Forum showed that most of the plastic that goes into the oceans starts in rivers, a statement of the embassy mentioned, adding that of the 10 rivers where 90% of the plastic comes from, two are in Africa; one of them is the Nile. Therefore, on that day, ambassador Tomas Anker Christensen, along with staff members from the embassy and seven Danish companies operating in Egypt, embarked on a journey to clean up waste from the Nile river. The event was followed by a workshop to recycle the waste gathered and to enable participants to become more environmentally aware and have access to eco-friendly alternatives. "I am honoured to be a part of this initiative bringing together Danish companies and the ministry of environment to contribute in preserving the Nile river. Achieving the UN's SDGs is a common goal shared by Egypt and Denmark," said Christensen, Danish ambassador to Egypt. The seven Danish companies participating are all members of the Danish Business Club Cairo (DBCC), working in different sectors, such as Novo Nordisk, Orana, DSV, Cimbria, Nourco, Leo Pharma, and Mærsk, the statement clarified. "The positive participation and high turnout of the DBCC members in the clean-up event is proof of the commitment by Danish companies toward Egypt and their determination to have a positive impact on the environment. I am certain this is just the beginning, and more of such activities will follow," Managing Director of Novo Nordisk and Chairperson of the DBCC, Hassan Fahmi, said. This is not the only collaboration between the embassy and Greenish, as a series of clean-up events in the Nile river, Mediterranean and the Red Seas will start in July 2019, engaging youth in five governorates in Egypt to have a positive impact on climate change and the environment.
