Jumeirah, part of Dubai Holding, has announced a collaboration with the environmental organization Ocean Generation to raise awareness about marine ecosystems in schools across the United Arab Emirates.
Founded in 2009 by environmental activist Jo Ruxton, who has been awarded an OBE, Ocean Generation is a charity aimed at simplifying ocean science concepts and making them accessible to various age groups globally, with a focus on empowering younger generations.
This week, Ocean Generation kicked off the pilot phase of its UNESCO-accredited Ocean Academy program in five schools in Dubai, with plans to expand to additional schools later, depending on the evaluation of this initial phase. The participating schools include Greenfield International School, Arbor School, Hartland International School, Fairgreen International School, and Dubai British School in Dubai Hills. Students aged between 5 and 16 engaged in curriculum-aligned study units covering a range of topics such as coral reef conservation, sustainable fishing practices, ecosystem services of oceans, and marine biodiversity, which were delivered in classrooms and through school gatherings. Ocean Generation also provided teachers with comprehensive educational materials including teaching programs, videos, and resources that do not require prior knowledge of marine sciences, alongside interactive sessions and workshops aimed at engaging the school community in ocean issues and helping the new generation understand them.
This partnership underscores Jumeirah’s strong commitment to marine environmental protection, especially since two-thirds of its hotels and resorts are located along coastlines. Jumeirah is dedicated to safeguarding endangered sea turtles through programs at key locations, including Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai, Jumeirah Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, and Jumeirah Bali. Since 2004, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project has rescued 2,300 sea turtles and returned them to the Arabian Gulf, tracking 96 of them via satellite for scientific research.
At Jumeirah’s Thanda Island, the company collaborates with Marine Megafauna Foundation and SeaSense to protect whale sharks and endangered turtles while raising local community awareness through educational and training programs on environmental conservation. Jumeirah is also a key player in coral reef restoration efforts, nurturing over 1,400 coral fragments in the lagoon of Jumeirah Al Naseem, with 300 of these transplanted to the sea so far. Furthermore, Jumeirah is a major supporter of the Dubai Reef Project, one of the world’s largest coral restoration initiatives, which has so far involved relocating over 3,000 coral fragments to the ocean. Guests at Jumeirah Olhahali in the Maldives are directly involved in coral restoration efforts, contributing to the renewal of marine ecosystems surrounding the resort.
These comprehensive efforts reflect Jumeirah’s sustainability vision, centered on three main pillars: people, the environment, and responsible governance. With each sea turtle released, each coral fragment planted, and every guest educated, Jumeirah reaffirms its commitment to preserving marine ecosystems surrounding its facilities worldwide.