Assiut University organized, on Wednesday, April 9, an awareness seminar entitled "a step towards protecting the Nile River and supporting the local community in order to promote sustainability", under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, president of the University, and under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abdulalim, vice president of the University for community service and environmental development, in cooperation with Assiut cement company (Cemex) and the "ferry Nile" environmental initiative.

The seminar was attended by Mr. Ibrahim Saad, director of public relations and community impact at Assiut cement company "Cemex", Mr. Hani Fawzi, director of the project to improve the conditions of fishermen and managing member of the "ferry Nile" initiative, Ms. Hana Tohami, director of partnerships and awareness of"ferry Nile", Ms. Iman Anwar, Director of the "ferry Nile" branch in Assiut Governorate, along with a number of deans and undersecretaries of Colleges, faculty members, those interested in the environmental field, and university students from various the seminar was presented by Mr. Mohammed Juma, director of the arts department at the General Administration for student welfare.

Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, president of Assiut University, stressed that the organization of this seminar comes within the framework of the University's commitment to its social and Environmental Responsibility, and its keenness to promote awareness of sustainability issues and the protection of natural resources, especially the Nile River, which is the lifeline of Egypt. He also pointed out that cooperation with partners from the private sector and civil society, such as the Assiut cement company (Cemex) and the "ferry Nile" initiative, reflects the University's vision to build effective partnerships that serve the Sustainable Development Goals.

For his side, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abdulalim, vice president of Assiut University, explained that Assiut University pays great attention to the file of sustainable development, and seeks to deepen its partnerships with targeted environmental initiatives, pointing out that awareness and environmental education are the basis for achieving tangible and sustainable results in the long term.

In the same context, Mr. Ibrahim Saad pointed out that the partnership with Assiut University is a strategic partnership aimed at supporting and qualifying students for the labor market, pointing out that the seminar activities included practical activities, most notably a campaign to clean the Nile River in Basra village in Assiut governorate, to raise environmental awareness among youth and the local community.

Professor Hana Tohami also spoke about the "ferry Nile" initiative, which was launched in 2018 under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, and aims to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to clean the Nile river of marine waste, as well as recycling waste in cooperation with local partners, in support of the "get green" initiative launched by His Excellency the president of the Republic to raise environmental awareness.

She pointed to the project launched by the initiative five years ago to improve the conditions of fishermen on the island of qarqaya, which has so far included about 250 fishermen in the governorates of Giza, Cairo, Assiut, and Sohag, where fishermen participate in collecting and recycling waste from the Nile in partnership with multiple parties.

 She stressed the vital role of women in protecting the environment, noting that the initiative supports the economic empowerment of women through plastic recycling workshops, which produce high-quality products marketed locally and internationally.