Irbid, Feb 11 (Petra) - The ministers of youth and environment on Wednesday took part in a dialogue session introducing the executive program of the cleanliness strategy and efforts to curb random littering, in the first such session on the program in the northern region.

The session, attended by representatives of official and national institutions and environmental associations, as well as heads and supervisors of youth centers and members of their general and administrative bodies, aimed to outline the pillars and objectives of the national cleanliness strategy and discuss environmental challenges related to random waste disposal and ways to address them by enhancing environmental awareness and entrenching a culture of shared responsibility.

Minister of Youth Raed Adwan stressed the ministry’s commitment to supporting national efforts to implement the executive program, describing it as a national priority requiring concerted efforts by all institutions. He pointed to the role played by youth centers across the Kingdom in raising awareness, organizing volunteer campaigns, and promoting peer education.

Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman said the program is not limited to oversight and legal aspects but focuses on partnership with local communities, the private sector, and youth to curb negative practices affecting the ecosystem and public health.

Suleiman said the concept of waste has fundamentally changed and has become an environmental, health, and economic issue, underscoring the importance of boosting recycling and turning the challenge into a development opportunity. He noted that law enforcement resulted in about 19,000 violations last year and 4,000 violations since the start of this year, adding that the effort involves 11 ministries.

The meeting reviewed the executive program’s pillars, including studying social behavior related to random littering, improving infrastructure through coordinated efforts of relevant entities, conducting awareness and educational campaigns to promote cleanliness culture, and tightening oversight and enforcing penalties against violators to achieve sustainable behavioral change and strengthen social responsibility.

The program includes the production of two million environmentally friendly cloth bags to support cleanliness efforts and promote positive behavior to curb littering from vehicles.

Participants shared ideas and proposals on translating the strategy into practical programs, while youth center members presented volunteer initiatives in awareness, cleanliness, tourism and environmental entrepreneurship, including cleanup campaigns, community activities and recycling initiatives. They stressed youth commitment to playing an active role in protecting the environment and turning national goals into practical action.

//Petra// AF