عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Over 95 Million Trees Planted Across the Kingdom Since Launch of Saudi Green Initiative

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Over 95 Million Trees Planted Across the Kingdom Since Launch of Saudi Green Initiative

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)

The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) has said that collaboration with government, private, and non-profit partners has contributed to successfully planting over 95 million trees throughout the Kingdom since the launch of the Saudi Green Initiative in 2021.
These efforts have helped rehabilitate 111,000 hectares of degraded vegetation cover, and protect 4.3 million hectares of land currently undergoing rehabilitation. Moreover, 7.1 million cases of natural vegetation regeneration have been recorded, demonstrating significant progress toward increasing the Kingdom’s vegetation cover, according to SPA.
So far, 121 public, private, and non-profit sector partners have contributed to greening efforts, reflecting a commitment to achieving shared national goals, and successful partnerships in the afforestation efforts, in line with the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030. These efforts contribute to reducing carbon emissions, improving the quality of life, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
NCVC is actively involved in protecting, monitoring, and rehabilitating vegetation cover, addressing violations, combating illegal logging, and managing rangelands, forests, and national parks sustainably. These endeavors are essential to fostering a thriving and sustainable vegetation cover for future generations.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor, Who Devoted His Life for Peace, Dies at 93

Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
TT
TT

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor, Who Devoted His Life for Peace, Dies at 93

Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)
Shigemi Fukahori is interviewed at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on July 29, 2020. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

Shigemi Fukahori, a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing, who devoted his life to advocating for peace has died. He was 93.

Fukahori died at a hospital in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 3, the Urakami Catholic Church, where he prayed almost daily until last year, said on Sunday. Local media reported he died of old age.

The church, located about 500 meters from ground zero and near the Nagasaki Peace Park, is widely seen as a symbol of hope and peace, as its bell tower and some statues and survived the nuclear bombing.

Fukahori was only 14 when the US dropped the bomb on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, killing tens of thousands of people, including his family. That came three days after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, which killed 140,000 people. Japan surrendered days later, ending World War II and the country's nearly half-century of aggression across Asia.

Fukahori, who worked at a shipyard about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from where the bomb dropped, couldn’t talk about what happened for years, not only because of the painful memories but also how powerless he felt then.

About 15 years ago, he became more outspoken after encountering, during a visit to Spain, a man who experienced the bombing of Guernica in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War when he was also 14 years old. The shared experience helped Fukahori open up.

“On the day the bomb dropped, I heard a voice asking for help. When I walked over and held out my hand, the person’s skin melted. I still remember how that felt,” Fukahori told Japan’s national broadcaster NHK in 2019.

He often addressed students, hoping they take on what he called “the baton of peace,” in reference to his advocacy.

When Pope Francis visited Nagasaki in 2019, Fukahori was the one who handed him a wreath of white flowers. The following year, Fukahori represented the bomb victims at a ceremony, making his “pledge for peace,” saying: “I am determined to send our message to make Nagasaki the final place where an atomic bomb is ever dropped.”

A wake is scheduled for Sunday, and funeral services on Monday at Urakami Church, where his daughter will represent the family.