Regional/Cultural Day
Youm al-Bi'a
Kuwait's National Environment Day raises awareness of the environmental challenges facing the country: the scorching desert climate, the threat of sandstorms (the shamal wind), the degradation of the coastal ecosystem, and the lingering damage from the 1991 oil fires. The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) leads the observance, organizing beach cleanups along the Gulf Road and educational programs about the desert ecosystem. The Kuwaiti desert, which covers most of the country, is home to the Arabian sand gazelle, the desert hedgehog, and the spiny-tailed lizard, all of which are threatened by urbanization and off-road driving.
