The EU Beach Clean-Up event held with the motto “Clean Sea starts with you!”

On 19 September 2020, the EU Delegation organised #EUBeachCleanup campaign jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources as part of the International Coastal Clean-up Day.

Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Kestutis Jankauskas, the Head of EU Delegation to Azerbaijan and H.E. Dainis Garančs, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia were present at the beach cleaning event.

The representatives of the EU Member State Embassies, EU projects implemented in Azerbaijan, Young European Ambassadors, EBRD, GIZ and local companies like “AzEkol”, “EkoSfera” Social and Environmental Center and young volunteers took part as well.

5 hectares of land in the coastal area of Jorat settlement of Sumgayit have been cleaned of plastic and other waste. Special containers have been installed with the support of the EU Delegation to sort the waste on the beach.

The intention was not only to leave one of the Absheron beaches nice and clean, but also help to attract media and public attention to the challenges of marine littering and plastic waste.

The event was organised in a safe and secure way respecting social distancing in accordance of current COVID-19 regulations.

Every year in September, the EU organises awareness-raising campaign – #EUBeachCleanup. In 2019, over 40,000 volunteers were mobilised in nearly 80 countries including Azerbaijan.