Syrian youths experience their love for nature

Coexistence with nature is a new-ancient idea, and being of great scientific, social, educational and health benefits, the idea of founding an association for exploration emerged. The Syrian Association for Exploration and Documentation has been founded with the aim of searching for beneficial information at the heart of nature and documenting it through establishing field youth exploration activities in the nature through a scientific and entertainment pattern that seeks knowledge and creativity. The general idea of the Association is summarized in several axes including the scientific, which is represented through the participation of figuring out suitable means for preserving environment. The social axis however aims at boosting relations with communities, while the health axis is related to upgrading the idea that nature is able to fix whatever imbalance it may suffer from. The educational side focuses on the idea that the nature is the first school, as it teaches human beings the correct thinking methodologies. Head of the Association, Bassel al-Hakim, said that the goals of the Association are to provide an opportunity for the youths to adapt with all its herbal, animal, historical components to get the benefit aspired, in addition to training the youth cadres to establish national exploration and documentation mission. The cultural and intellectual cohesion between urban and rural communities through getting to know the traditions of them and exchanging knowledge and expertise is another aim, al-Hakim added. For his part, Secretary of the Association, Khaled Nwelati, pointed out that the most important activities this year started with a march towards al-Sweida province, and then camping in Jubet-Berghal in Lattakia. After that, shallow water walking in al-Qurdaha countryside, and then moving to Kasab wood were carried out. "The documentation of the tour is no less important than the activity itself," Nwelati said, adding that photographs, videos and field reports, in addition to some environment items such as dried leaves, stones and others were collected to be added to the Association's archive and exhibition. Nwelati clarified that an archeological tour will be organized to Sweida, noting that this activity will be accompanied with a voluntary aid to the farmers. "This year's activities will be wrapped up with a three-day visit to al-Kahf Citadel in Tartous," he added. The Syrian Association for Exploration and Documentation was established in 2008 by a volunteering youth. It includes 1500 members. In a relevant context, motivated by the love for adventure and exploration of nature, members of "Salute to Nature" team in Tartous province, which encompasses more than 200 young men and women from different ages, participated in a 45 km march under the title "Waking" whose target is man and nature. Bassel Hassan, one of the team's supervisors, told SANA that the activity aims at exploring and getting acquainted with the beautiful areas in their region through walking across the most beautiful and attractive mountains and valleys which have maintained their virginity. The participants in the march expressed their happiness for exploring the beauty of the Syrian coast and the rural areas far from the atmosphere of noise and pollution of the city. Hassan noted that the team, which is affiliated to the General Sports Union, aims also at developing the march sport, in addition to exploring the tourist areas in Tartous province. The team organized during the past three years day and night marches across the most important mountainous and natural areas in the province in addition to organizing environmental cleaning campaigns and cultural activities.