Introducing For the Love of the Planet – a two-day festival putting the UAE’s future leaders at the heart of student-driven solutions to the issues of sustainable fashion, food sustainability and developing a circular economy.

For the Love of the Planet

Sustainability in the UAE

<h2>For the love of the planet - Wednesday, 20th March</h2><div class="raw-html-embed">
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</div><p>For the Love of the Planet is back! The annual event focuses on sustainability in the UAE, driven by student solutions to the issues of sustainable fashion, food sustainability and developing a circular economy.</p><p>Hosted by the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) at Middlesex University Dubai, the event will showcase sustainability solutions linked to the COP28 objectives outlined last year. You can expect a jam-packed schedule of events, activities, and exhibits from several esteemed guest speakers, presenters, students and businesses, that will highlight and advocate for the UN SDGs and how we can contribute to the community and beyond.<br>During For the Love of the Planet, our community will showcase sustainable business solutions developed by our students as part of their university curriculum and personal development projects during their studies.</p><p>Each event taking place will uphold Middlesex University’s sustainability goals, knowledge through education, and promote ‘thinking differently’, while strengthening our Recycle, Reuse, Reduce programme.</p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Spearheaded by the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and into the future". We aim for this event to contribute to these Global Goals:</span></p><div class="raw-html-embed"> <div class="row">
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What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>10:00am Exhibitors open – Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></span><span style="background-color:white;color:#242424;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p><ul><li><span style="background-color:white;color:#242424;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><strong>10:00am (Every Hour) - Denim Patch Workshop – Block 16 Foyer&nbsp;</strong></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>10.30am – Official Opening – Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></span></p><ul><li><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>Opening address from Professor Cedwyn</strong></i></span></li><li><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i>10.45am Welcome from Andrew/Rory (Block 15)</i></span></li><li><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i>11.00am – 1<sup>st</sup> fashion styling competition (Block 16)</i></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>11:00am 1<sup>st</sup> Fashion Styling Competition- Block 16 Foyer</strong></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>11:15am – 11:40 Presentation - Culture as a Driving element for Urban Design by Anamaria Castillo and Nikola Nikolic</strong></i></span></p><ul><li><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i>Designing public spaces that celebrate heritage and culture.</i></span></li><li><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i>Pushing the boundaries of landscape architecture with a focus on creating leading edge public spaces that celebrate heritage and culture.</i></span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>11:40am – 12:00pm IFP Sustainable Business Solutions Showcase and Presentation - Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>12:00pm – 12.30pm Guest Speaker (Toby Gregory - Row to COP28 – plastics pledge) - Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>12.45pm – 1.30pm Panel Discussion (Topic: Circular Economy and Sustainability in the MENA region – focus on Fashion and Food sustainability) - Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><strong>Panellists:</strong></span></p><ul><li>Toby Gregory – RowToCOP28</li><li>Anamaria Castillo - Landscape Strategies Director</li><li>Deepthi Chandran - Founder, Only Ethikal<br>Only Ethikal is an ethical fashion marketplace, based in the GCC.</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><i><strong>All Day - Video display of presentations by Digital Media and Fashion students.</strong></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><i><strong>1.30pm – 1:50pm Fashion Videos Presentation - Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><i><strong>1:50 – 2:00 - 1st Year Marketing – Food Waste Solution Display - Block 15 Foyer</strong></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><i><strong>2:15 – 2:30 Fearless and Poetry Club Public Speaking</strong></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:14.0pt;"><span style="color:black;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif;"><i><strong>2.45pm - Event close</strong></i></span></p>

Wednesday 20 March 2024

Looking for a simple way to take part in For the Love of the Planet? Here’s how you can support our students and community!

Get involved

<div class="ftlop1"><p><img src="https://api.mdx.ac.ae/uploads/annmaria_ftlop_speaker_718bc818e3.jpg?updated_at=2024-03-19T05:31:34.837Z"></p><h4>Anamaria Castillo</h4><p>Landscape Strategies Director</p><p>Having worked in Costa Rica, USA, Italy and UAE, Anamaria accumulates a wealth of experiences and knowledge that are reflected in her projects. . An awarded Landscape Architect in Education, Tourism and Sustainability projects.</p><p>She strongly believes that landscape has a big impact on people’s behavior and way of living. She aims for social interaction, sense of belonging and to aid communities and developments thrive in a sustainable way.</p><p>Responsible for leading the landscape strategies, her skillset allows her to translate research and results into an intentional design approach. She works closely with stakeholders, clients and the various design teams.</p><p>She has a formal background in Education, Fine Arts and Landscape Architecture, also a special interest in Placemaking, Play, Inclusivity and Sustainability.</p></div><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ftlop1"><p><img src="https://api.mdx.ac.ae/uploads/Nikola_Nikolic_ftlop_speaker_50363b2f33.jpg?updated_at=2024-03-19T06:06:13.178Z"></p><h4>Nikola Nikolic</h4><p>Partner - Creative Director</p><p>Nikola is a landscape architect with international experience and design-focused skill set, specialized in projects of cultural and historical significance.</p><p>Responsible for leading the creative vision and design strategy for a variety of projects. Work closely with clients and teams to conceptualize and execute innovative designs that balance aesthetic and functional needs. He brings a deep understanding of landscape architecture, design trends, and industry best practices to the table. With strong leadership and communication skills, he drives projects from inception to completion, ensuring that design exceeds client expectations.</p><p>With his multifaceted design approach, Nikola delivered a number of internationally recognized projects, which contextual integration, considered, and sustainable design approach created spaces that became popular public places, where landscape design played an important role in the project’s overall success.</p></div><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ftlop1"><p><img src="https://api.mdx.ac.ae/uploads/toby_gregory_ftlop_speaker_33de28d24b.jpg?updated_at=2024-03-19T05:53:34.936Z"></p><h4>Toby Gregory</h4><p>Adventurer and environmental changemaker&nbsp;<br>Founder ‘The Plastic Pledge’, ‘The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team’ and the ‘Youth Environmental Photography Award’</p><p>Over the years, Toby has had his fair share of awe-inspiring adventures as well as close encounters. Whether by foot, boat, or bicycle, he has spent his life traversing the world in search of challenges or protecting the planet. Highlights include, running the 82km “long stage” in Marathon Des Sables, the toughest foot race on earth (having completed three marathons in the three previous days in 50-degree heat), traversing glaciers and swimming with icebergs near the article circle.</p><p>In January 2023 he completed a 42 day, 5,000km unsupported and unassisted row across the Atlantic Ocean, which he completed in partnership with the UN Environment Programmes Clean Seas initiative. More recently he founded: ‘The Plastic Pledge‘, ‘Row to COP28’, ‘BeeKind’ and the ‘Youth Environmental Photography Awards’.</p><p>In July he will attempt an unprecedented scientific journey - the Arctic Ocean Rowing Expedition, where exploration meets environmental advocacy. The 1000km arctic rowing mission goes beyond endurance; it's a groundbreaking endeavour to advance scientific understanding in one of the planet's most remote, harsh, and vulnerable ecosystems.</p><p>When not exploring the world, Toby is a crisis communications consultant and trusted advisor to Royal families, government ministers, education institutions and organizations in the humanitarian sector, including UN entities.</p></div>

Speakers

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">The Middlesex Institute of Sustainable Development fosters the advancement of sustainability into the university, community and global practices.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">The objectives of ISD are to strengthen stakeholder collaboration by aligning academic knowledge and professional practice and by promoting partnerships with businesses, civil society and government to reach a sustainable future.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Activities of ISD include:</span></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Collaborative research with businesses, government and UN agencies</span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Best practice consulting and corporate training workshops</span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Sustainability Mindset Training and Community Outreach Programmes</span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Promoting sustainable best practices</span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Customised Certificate Programmes for specific industries</span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Industry Round Tables with a focus on ESG</span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">For more information on the Institute, please connect directly with the Head of the Institute, Mr Andrew Mackenzie on:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">E-mail: </span><a href="mailto:isd@mdx.ac.ae"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">isd@mdx.ac.ae</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr">Phone: +971 (0)4 4331772</span></p>

About the Institute of Sustainable Development