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Mission Green Earth Continues: Commercial Bank of Dubai Joins Tree-Planting Campaign

May 05, 2009

On May 5th 2009 at 2 p.m. Commercial Bank of Dubai launched the 'Green Day' event at CBD's Head office, which included the following ceremonies:

- Initial planting of the first seeds towards their commitment to plant 40 trees in the UAE in celebration of their 40th year.
- Cake cutting ceremony & launch of the Zoom 'Green Lounge' as a part of CSR
- Signing of Pledge Banner

Here's what CBD had to say about the event:  

In light of a pledge which was made at their Mission Green Earth Stand Up Ceremony, Commercial Bank of Dubai has begun to make the UAE a greener place at a corporate tree planting function dubbed internally as 'Green Day' held at the CBD's Head Office in Deira.

A Green Team of over 100 enthusiastic staff have volunteered to be committed to the improvement and sustenance of the environment and will be nurturing seedlings and saplings in collaboration with the Dubai Municipality to have them planted in areas where they can grow and provide the communities with additional greenery around the UAE. During the official planting ceremony held with CBD's Senior Management, Peter Baltussen, CEO, stated his enthusiasm and support for the project and emphasized the support of the Senior Management in the initiation, expansion and sustainability of the project.

Peter Baltussen, as well as Othman Bin Hendi, Regional Manager for Abu Dhabi and the new Dubai Region were among the first to roll up their sleeves and plant the first saplings outside the Commercial Bank of Dubai Head Office building as a symbolic launch towards the efforts which will replicate throughout Dubai in the months to come. Othman's passion for planting is clearly inspired by the late ruler, Sheikh Zayed (May his soul rest in peace), and of how he had transformed the desert into greenery with a commitment to protect and nurture the trees planted. He states that "Trees provide us with food, medicine, shade and material to use in our daily life. Furthermore, our religion emphasizes the importance of taking care of our environment."

Since the launch of the initiative, CBD's 'Green Team' of volunteers can be spotted on a daily basis taking care of the newly planted saplings outside their Head Office in Deira, and will soon be found evolving other 'green spaces' around the city.

Background: On October 17, 18 and 19 2008 over 140,000 people in the UAE and over 117 million people (2% of the world population) around the world Stood Up to Take Action as a part of the international United Nations Campaign to remind their leaders of their promises for a better world for tomorrow. (UN - Millennium Development Goals of 2015)

UAE has chosen Millennium Development Goal No 7 for sustainable environment and on these dates, the men, women and children across the country committed to taking responsibility for their environment by adopting sustainable practices in their personal and community lives. Like in the previous year, this year too Mission Green Earth- Stand up and Take Action has been held under the Royal Patronage of UN Messenger of Peace HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai; with the support of UNDP, UNEP and the International Humanitarian City and organized by Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values with the support of Barclays Bank PLC.

Watch Princess Haya addressing UAE in a very powerful, heartfelt speech, followed by glimpses of UAE Stand Ups.

View photos here