Alwaleed Philanthropies joins forces with the World Scout Movement to promote forest conservation and environmental sustainability

As part of the World Scouting annual JOTA-JOTI (Jamboree-on-the-Air-Jamboree-on-the-Internet), the world’s largest online Scout event which connects Scouts from over 170 countries over 3 days from 20-22 October, Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud, hosted an event in partnership with the World Scout Movement to raise awareness about the impact of deforestation and to inspire young people to become active actors in forest degradation and engage global citizens.

In an effort to conserve the world’s natural forests, Alwaleed Philanthropies are hosting the virtual event on their Metaverse platform, Decentraland. Scouts around the world, as well as the general public, have been invited to navigate through a virtual forest, gain insight into the consequences of deforestation, and participate in the inaugural forest plantation event on the Metaverse. The Decentraland platform has already gained 26,500 scouts and planted 610 trees within the first three days. The count is still increasing as the platform is open to the general public for the next coming weeks.

Within the virtual space, participants can engage with interactive exhibits, connect with like-minded individuals, and discover actionable steps that can be taken to protect our precious forests. The experience also enables users to collect POAP’s by gathering seeds and planting their own trees within the space.

The event builds on the success of Alwaleed Philanthropies’ campaign to tackle cyber bullying and discrimination in the Metaverse, with Alwaleed Philanthropies now committed to using their Decentraland Metaverse platform to tackle climate change and deforestation; aligning with SDGs 13 and 15: Climate Action and Life on Land.

Alwaleed Philanthropies’ Metaverse digital center uses cultural dialogue, artistic exhibitions and historical artifacts as tools to bridge cultures, providing users with the opportunity to delve into Islamic history and culture.

Across the three days the JOTA-JOTI event engaged millions of youth around the world for a weekend of online activities aimed at fostering friendship, cooperation and a sense of global citizenship. The event empowers young individuals and volunteers to participate in engaging and interactive group activities via the internet and amateur radio, with the specific emphasis on developing 21st-century skills within the context of Scouting. It aims to support young people of all ages to learn about communications technology, the values of global citizenship, and their role in creating a better world.