The campaign known as Bi-Zobaleh (Persian for "no rubbish") focusing on the issue of waste, which was initiated by Kaveh Madani, the education and research deputy at the Department of Environment, has successfully completed its 100-day operations.
Launched on Dec. 22, the campaign was aimed at raising awareness and fostering a sense of responsibility in the community about waste management with the slogan "Let's Start With Ourselves".
It was planned to operate during winter and continue in spring until April 2, the National Nature Day. "The scheme continued through the early days of the spring season so that the Nature of Iran would suffer less damage on the eve of Nature Day," Madani was quoted as saying by DOE's official news portal.
Bi-Zobaleh was a call for people, especially government officials and celebrities, to share a one-minute video about rubbish with the related Hashtags BiZobaleh and Let's_Start_With_Ourselves (in Persian) in the social media.
Many people, including Isa Kalantari, the DOE chief, and Massoumeh Ebtekar, the former head of DOE, as well as President Hassan Rouhani joined the campaign.
Bi-Zobaleh, according to Madani, was the first topic-based program with a set period that the Education and Research Department managed to devise and implement at the organizational and national levels in less than six months after the new administration took office.
"As the first step, it addressed government authorities, policymakers and directors of educational and cultural programs to convey environmental messages through minor but eco-friendly measures," he said.
It was also an attempt to create an understanding that to have a clean environment, one need not have large-scale projects. "Small but inclusive and purposeful events can be effective and pave the way for big projects," Madani said.
He emphasized that involving a wide audience and consistency in educational programs will to a great extent guarantee the success of programs to change the society's approach toward Nature.
"Waste is not the only environmental issue of the country and the campaign will not completely solve this problem. This is a practice for social responsibility and learning," he explained. The official announced in a tweet that activities in the field of waste will continue despite the end of the campaign, but his office will focus on wetland, water, energy and pollution this year. Madani hoped that such schemes will create trust and encourage voluntary participation to make the public join hands with the government in protecting the beautiful nature of Iran.
Kaveh Madani, 37, was appointed as deputy head of DOE in September 2017 and has been an influential figure ever since.
