Adly: Raising Environmental Awareness Tops the Priorities of the Small Grants Programme
El-Balshi: The Journalists’ Syndicate Strives to Provide Simplified and Specialized Environmental Content
Kamal: The Environmental Compliance Office Supports Civil Society Efforts in Environmental Protection
Bakr: Launch of a Journalism Competition in the Governorates Covered by the Seventh Phase of the Small Grants Programme
As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations, the Environment and Development Writers Association (SWED) organized the second training workshop on documentation and communication skills for NGOs implementing projects funded by the Small Grants Programme (SGP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The workshop was held within the framework of the Knowledge Management, Communication, and Innovation Promotion Project, implemented by the association and funded by the programme under its seventh operational phase in Egypt.
The three-day workshop, held from 2 to 4 February 2025 at the headquarters of the Journalists’ Syndicate in Cairo, was attended by Dr. Emad El-Din Adly, National Coordinator of the Small Grants Programme; Khaled El-Balshi, Head of the Journalists’ Syndicate; Eng. Ahmed Kamal, Executive Director of the Environmental Compliance Office and Sustainable Development at the Federation of Egyptian Industries; Eng. Hatem El-Roumi, First Deputy of the Sustainable Energy Division at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce; and Dr. Mahmoud Bakr, Chairman of the Environment and Development Writers Association.
During his speech, El-Balshi emphasized the Syndicate’s commitment to collaborating with the Environment and Development Writers Association to promote environmental awareness and strengthen environmental journalism. He pointed out that the main challenge in environmental media lies in simplifying complex environmental terms for the public—an issue the Syndicate seeks to address through cooperation protocols with the Ministry of Environment to produce specialized and accessible environmental content.
For his part, Dr. Adly highlighted that the Small Grants Programme has been operating in Egypt for over 30 years, currently active in 128 countries, and has funded approximately 400 environmental projects in Egypt across seven phases. He noted that the programme operates under the principle of “Think Globally, Act Locally”, which has helped transform several local initiatives into internationally recognized success stories—such as biogas and medicinal plant cultivation projects.
He also praised the pivotal role of the Environment and Development Writers Association in training NGOs to document and publicize their environmental projects effectively, thus expanding their visibility and impact. He revealed that the association’s Knowledge Management and Innovation Project was one of only 16 environmental projects selected for funding out of 70 submissions, reflecting its value and significance.
In the same context, Eng. Ahmed Kamal stressed that environmental journalists should also possess multidisciplinary knowledge in areas like tourism, agriculture, and energy, since sustainability intersects with all sectors. He expressed the readiness of the Environmental Compliance Office at the Federation of Egyptian Industries to support the association’s efforts in highlighting civil society’s contribution to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mahmoud Bakr affirmed that the association aims to enhance environmental awareness, build journalists’ capacity in environmental reporting, and develop NGOs’ documentation and media communication skills—whether through traditional press and online platforms or through direct training programmes.
Dr. Bakr also announced the launch of a new environmental media competition for journalists in the governorates covered by the seventh phase of the Small Grants Programme, including Alexandria, Beheira, Qena, Luxor, and Fayoum.
The competition seeks to raise environmental awareness by spotlighting the role of NGOs in implementing environmental projects under the programme’s seventh phase, demonstrating their impact on preserving ecosystems, improving community livelihoods, and encouraging decision-makers to participate in designing and applying effective environmental solutions.