Ford Motor Company on June 24, 2011, announced a partnership with UNESCO to help spread awareness of its Conservation and Environmental Grants programme. The main aim of the partnership is to spot more local grass roots environmental projects which require additional funding. The partnership is offering US $100,000 to deserving non-profit environmental projects which are currently in operation in GCC, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The Ford Grant programme since its launch a decade ago, has awarded more than US $20,00,000 to over 300 projects spanned across Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Central America, Middle East and Puerto Rico.
Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s Managing Director, expressed his enthusiasm over the partnership stating, “We are proud to join hands with UNESCO in identifying and helping the many unsung heroes of our planet. UNESCO’s endorsement is testament to the success of this programme over the past 12 years, and the tie-up with UNESCO will help us spread awareness of this initiative across the appropriate channels and widen its scope of coverage.”
Dr. Benno Boer, UNESCO’s Ecological Sciences Advisor in the Arab Region, stated that the Ford Motor Company’s Grant programme is a praiseworthy programme initiated by the private sector. He further added, UNESCO will support the Ford Middle East’s efforts in identifying deserving environmental projects and help them achieve their targets.