Islamabad – 6 May 2026 (TNS) : In a step towards promoting environmental sustainability and access to education, a tree plantation drive and the inauguration of the KITAB community school library project organised by the DICE Forum at Sundas Foundation in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Minister of State law and justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik was the Chief guest. Ambassador of Bulgaria Irena Gancheva, High Commissioner of South Africa, Rudolph Pierre Jordaan, wife of Ambassador of Zimbabwe Nompumelelo Abu- Basutu IFWA president, Counsel General Ghana, Omer Shahid Butt, Honrary Counsel General of Kyrgyzstan, Kashif Mehar and Air Vice Marshal (R) Aftab Hussain, Director Sundas Foundation thalassemia center attended the event.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik emphasized the need to integrate education, environmental stewardship and social responsibility as key pillars of national development. He said such initiatives play an important role in shaping informed, responsible citizens and fully supported from the government.
Quoting Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Minister reaffirmed that education is fundamental to national progress. Referring to climate change, he noted that Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to its impacts and stressed the need for sustained and practical action to address environmental challenges.
Chairperson of the DICE Forum Aliya Agha, in her opening remarks, underscored Pakistan’s climate vulnerability, noting that forest cover remains below five per cent and continues to face pressure from population growth and resource use. She said the plantation drive symbolised a commitment to environmental resilience, while the KITAB project aimed to promote reading culture and expand access to learning resources for underprivileged children.
Ambassador of Bulgaria to Pakistan, Irena Gancheva, in her remarks, highlighted the interconnected importance of knowledge, compassion and environmental protection. She appreciated the KITAB initiative, stressing the continued relevance of reading and education in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. She also emphasised compassion in relation to the thalassemia centre and referred briefly to global responsibility in addressing climate change.
Air Vice Marshal (R) Aftab Hussain, Director of the Sundas Foundation Thalassemia Centre, said the initiative represented an investment in both environmental well-being and intellectual development. He also highlighted the burden of thalassemia in Pakistan and called for greater awareness and preventive screening.
The initiative, organised by the DICE Forum, at the Pakistan Thalassemia center managed by Sundas foundation brought together policymakers, diplomats and civil society representatives to highlight the importance of education, environmental protection and community welfare.
The Chief guest and the dignitaries also planted trees at the occasion. The initiative reflected a focus on practical, community-level solutions, complementing broader policy discussions such as Breathe Pakistan initiative taking place at higher levels.
The event concluded with a call for collective efforts to strengthen education, environmental protection and community-based initiatives.
