Bu Tinah makes waves across globe

Bu Tinah island's participation in an international competition to find the world's ‘New7Wonders' of Nature (N7W) has made the natural environment part of national heritage and identity of the UAE, according to a senior official. A national campaign to make the Bu Tinah Island in Abu Dhabi one of the New7Wonders of Nature (N7W) has united the UAE on the 40th anniversary of the country's formation, Eduardo Gonçalves, director of the Environmental Awareness Sector at the EAD, told Gulf News yesterday. Although the result of the competition will not be known until tonight, the organisers believe the campaign has already achieved results. The campaign has created a sense of pride about the natural environment of the country and a renewed commitment to protect the environment, the official said. "Every single segment of the society across the country from cities to remote areas, young and old and people of all nationalities… were equally involved in the campaign," Gonçalves said. It has genuinely united the people for a common cause, he added. A dome called ‘Bu Tinah Experience', a replica of the island created by the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi (EAD) on the Abu Dhabi Corniche attracted around 60,000 people from across the UAE. They travelled to Abu Dhabi to get an insight into life on Bu Tinah and register their votes at special voting booths inside the dome. Social networking The ‘Vote Bu Tinah' campaign has also received a massive endorsement from the international community via social media. More than 55,000 members joined the Bu Tinah Facebook page in one month, many of them living outside the UAE, Gonçalves said. They are now learning about the UAE's natural heritage. Many Gulf News readers have also been actively involved in the campaign, he said. "Many government and private companies have been conducting awareness drives as part of the national campaign. Many schools have been organising competitions among the children to raise awareness about the campaign," the official said. Many children, footballers, motorcyclists and people from various professional groups made their presence in the campaign, Gonçalves said. Meanwhile, three different groups of motorcycle enthusiasts will complete a countrywide tour today in support of the Bu Tinah campaign. They have lent their support, inspired by the ‘Bikers for Bu Tinah' event which took place in Abu Dhabi over one week ago.