Our Green Facade Initiative: 33 volunteers beautify Al-Fath Street in Qatif
In a move reflecting the synergy between government efforts and community participation, the Qatif Governorate Municipality a unique initiative under the slogan "Our Facade is Green," which primarily aims to bring about a tangible aesthetic transformation in urban landscape . This initiative involves improving and landscaping the facades of commercial establishments, as part of an ambitious strategy to enhance the quality of the urban environment and boost the region's tourist appeal.
These on-the-ground initiatives align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically the Quality of Life Program and the Green Saudi Arabia Initiative, which prioritize humanizing cities and increasing per capita green spaces. Such local initiatives have not only aesthetic benefits but also environmental, health, and social dimensions, contributing to a sustainable and healthy environment for both residents and visitors.
In detailing the initiative, the mayor of Qatif Governorate , Engineer Saleh Al-Qarni, explained that the first phase targeted Al-Fath Street, as it is one of the vital arteries in the governorate, where efforts were mobilized to transform its facades into visual models that please the eye and reflect the renewed identity of the governorate.
Guidance and national support
Thirty-three volunteers, representing a shining example of volunteerism in the region, are participating in this field campaign. These volunteers provide guidance and support to business owners, ensuring the initiative's standards are implemented accurately and professionally. The fieldwork focuses primarily on addressing and removing all forms of visual pollution from signs and facades, replacing them with aesthetically pleasing touches that promote harmony and cleanliness, thus restoring the street's beauty and vibrancy.
Addressing visual pollution is a fundamental pillar of modern urban planning, as studies have shown that improving the overall appearance of commercial streets directly contributes to the psychological comfort of visitors and reduces visual pollution that negatively affects the quality of daily life.
A well-thought-out plan and economic impact
The initiative includes a well-thought-out afforestation plan that includes planting a group of sustainable trees and shrubs in front of shops, and arranging them in an architectural style that adds an environmental dimension and contributes to cooling the general atmosphere of the street and reducing temperatures, which is in line with global trends to combat climate change by increasing vegetation cover within cities.
The first phase of the initiative included visits to 23 shops, where field teams recorded a remarkable response and great enthusiasm from shop owners to participate in improving the exterior appearance of their establishments. The merchants demonstrated a clear commitment to contributing to the beautification of their storefronts, emphasizing that improving the urban landscape positively impacts commercial activity and enhances the comfort of shoppers and visitors, thus increasing the overall economic value of the area.
Community partnership and sustainability
Engineer Al-Qarni indicated that this step comes as an activation of the concept of community partnership and seeks to raise environmental awareness among residents and business owners about the importance of green spaces within cities. Through these initiatives, the municipality aims to create an integrated urban environment that balances commercial development with environmental sustainability, making Qatif's streets preferred destinations for leisure and shopping, and a model to be emulated in sustainable urban development.
