Mangroves 4 Mankind (M4M), a UAE-based environmental social enterprise dedicated to the preservation and protection of mangrove ecosystems in every coastal city around the world, today announced a partnership with Bloomingdale’s Dubai department store to create ‘Paint It Green’, launching an environmentally focussed art collection, on the occasion of World Mangrove Day. This initiative is aimed at raising awareness around the importance of mangrove ecosystems to humanity, by fostering creativity within the local community.

The collection, which will be showcased on the Bloomingdale’s UAE website from mid August 2020, has been curated with the support of Alia Zaal Lootah , who is an artist, curator and researcher focusing on the development of the art scene in the UAE. The 6 featured artists include internationally renowned Emarati Artist Fatma Lootah , contemporary artist Robyn Chislett , multi disciplinary artist Ahmad Saeed AlAreef AlDhaheri , Dana Kamber , Meena Al Muheirbi , and forensic artist Ghanim Mubarak. The eight unique pieces of art which will be on sale are inspired by the beauty of mangroves and their connection to humanity. All proceeds for the sale of this collection will go towards the support of local artists and mangrove reforestation initiatives under the M4M umbrella, with the majority donated to the latter.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan , co-founder of Mangroves 4 Mankind, commented: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Bloomingdale’s Dubai to launch this creative, innovative and environmentally focused initiative, which aims to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the mangrove ecosystem and increase the forest space that these trees occupies.

Sheikha Shamma added: “It is our collective duty to contribute to the wellbeing and longevity of our planet. Our hope is that the Paint It Green campaign will encourage local artists to take inspiration from the natural and the unique beauty of the mangroves around us and share their creations with the world, while playing an active role in the preservation of our environment. This is the first of many initiatives that we look forward to launching on our journey towards tackling climate change and building a more sustainable future for generations to come.”

AhlamBolooki, co-founder of Mangroves 4 Mankind, commented: “This campaign aims to raise funds for a mangrove reforestation project that we have in the pipeline, by also supporting our community of world class local artists in the UAE. The initiative is a reminder of how artists, and those who appreciate the arts, are and will always be the drivers of real change”.