Australia, N Zealand group to hold earth hour fundraiser in Doha

The Australia and New Zealand Business in Qatar (ANZBIQ) will mark Earth Hour 2012 with a special fundraiser to help the cause of environment conservation. The business group is organising a candlelight dinner on March 31 and the collection from the event will be donated to fund 12 trees each to be presented to 12 schools in Doha, a media announcement on behalf of the group said Wednesday. ANZBIQ Chairman Garry Friend said Earth Hour was a global event held on the last Saturday of March annually, where households and businesses are asked to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour. "This year the Earth Hour in Doha will take place 8.30pm to 9.30pm and ANZBIQ believe this is an important initiative we can all support," Friend said. The unique feature of the dinner, at the Grand Hyatt Doha, is that the four-course menu will be sourced from sustainable and organic produce. "The event, with a sustainable and organic menu, will not only be a wonderful social event, it will also be an opportunity for people to give back to the community," he said and added, "the ANZBIQ will donate 12 trees each to 12 schools across Doha, that 144 trees, as part of our effort to encourage environmental initiatives and leave a legacy." Plaza Hollandi is supporting the event and will assist in the provision and delivery of the trees. The event is open to all, said the organisers who aim to promote relations between the two countries from the southern hemisphere and Qatar.