Phenomenal response to Riffa Views Eden Challenge
3 December 2007 by Riffa Views
Filed under Community
Judging started yesterday in The Riffa Views Eden Challenge, the schools competition that Riffa Views has developed as part of its title sponsorship of The Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show (RVBIGS) 2008. Entries closed in three of the Competition’s five categories on Sunday, with competing schools delivering their finished projects to The Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre.
The aim of The Riffa Views Eden Challenge is to inspire the younger generation of Bahrain to engage and interact with their external environment by asking them to design and create artworks and functional models for exhibition at the RVBIGS 2008. It is a way of showing that horticultural learning opportunities are not restricted only to the classroom, they can also be acquired externally; nor are they limited to pure ‘gardening’, there is scope for scientific, technical and artistic elements to play significant roles as well.
Using a format accepted by The Royal Horticultural Society in the UK and other recognized international bodies and exhibitions, the judges enthusiastically set about their task of identifying the winning entries in categories covering three specific age groups – ‘Primary, 10 – 12 years old’; Intermediate, 13 – 15 years old’; and ‘Secondary, 16 – 18 years old’.
“We set the children a real challenge through our briefing document and without exception they exceeded our expectations. It was a real joy and privilege to see the passion and level of involvement the children had put into their entries and to be involved in the judging process” commented chairman of the judges and the latest addition to Riffa Views’ Signature Ambassadors, Chris Beardshaw, the Award Winning Designer and BBC TV presenter.
Joining the UK’s ‘Flying Gardener’ on the judging panel were Shaikha Munira bint Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Matthew Rushton and Zuhair Hameed Al Dallal.
Shaikha Munira is no stranger to the horticultural activities of Bahrain, having been a member since 1986 and a past Chairperson of the Bahrain Garden Club, a member of the Bahrain Garden Fair Committee and instrumental in the development of BIGS since the Show’s inception in 2004. She is a keen gardener herself and sees The Riffa Views Eden Challenge as “…an exciting and different way of getting young people interested in the world of flowers and plants around them.”
Matthew Rushton has been in Bahrain since 1998 and is a trained horticulturalist. He came to the island from his native South Africa to work on the Riffa Views Golf course; he now finds himself involved in a range of landscaping projects from palace gardens to polo fields and luxury villas. “Judging The Riffa Views Eden Challenge has been a fascinating process as the overall level of the entries was extremely high with each of the entries having their own story to tell this made it a difficult task to select category winners” he said.
Zuhair Hameed Al Dallal is the Director, Properties & Parks for the Manama Municipality. A trained architect and a keen gardener, Zuhair has worked for the Department for 16 years. He is responsible for “all the landscape beautification of Manama’s gardens, its parks, the Corniche, municipal properties such as the Central Market” and is “…delighted by the level of support and the wide range of imaginative and innovative ideas that the pupils of Bahrain schools have presented through The Riffa Views Eden Challenge. It will be very interesting to see how they may influence the Bahrain landscape of the future.”
According to Chris Beardshaw, the judges were looking for a combination of factors in assessing the entries, “….. the level of creativity in design and concept, the involvement and interaction of teamwork in reaching a final solution, the quality and scope in presenting that final solution and the practicality of the project as a whole” and “…. without exception, our Eden Challenge entrance ticked all the boxes and made our task very difficult.”
“Practicality” was a major factor in the judges’ minds as the winning entries will all be turned into reality by Riffa Views, who will build and display them on The Riffa Views Eden Challenge stands throughout the RVBIGS 2008. Richard Browning, Chief Executive Officer of Riffa Views, commented “We are looking to provide something special for both the schools and the visitors to the RVBIGS 08 and to show how the children of Bahrain can develop images and displays which demonstrate a keen level of engagement and understanding of the greater environment that surrounds them. For Riffa Views together with BIGS, it is important that the show’s appeal and stature is enhanced and strengthened year on year; we believe that by capturing the enthusiasm of the younger generation, we are expanding the show’s ‘touch points’ and adding to the visitor experience.”
All the schools which entered the competition will benefit as Riffa Views will plant a tree of the school’s choice not only at their school, but also within a special ‘education grove’ at Riffa Views Signature Estates. Chris Beardshaw added “These trees will act as an important symbol and focal point for enhancing the ongoing educational experience and value of The Riffa Views Eden Challenge for each of the schools and the children involved, over and above re-inforcing the appreciation of the environment for all those attending and visiting the Eden Challenge schools.”
The winners in the three categories which were judged yesterday will be announced shortly. Entries for the other two categories in The Riffa Views Eden Challenge – the Junior Primary age group between 6 – 9 years old and the Special Needs all ages up to 18 years old, are to be submitted by 19th February 2008 and the winners announced on the following day, 20th February 2008. The winning entries of these two categories will also be displayed at RVBIGS 2008, with all winners invited to the RVBIGS 2008 Opening Ceremony where they will receive their awards and prizes.
Each of the category winners will receive a monetary award for educational or gardening equipment, with an Overall Winner receiving a further monetary award to assist in the enhancement of that school’s educational qualities, its gardens and landscapes.
RVBIGS 2008 is title sponsored by Riffa Views and is being organized under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain and Patron of the Bahrain Garden Club.
Riffa Views’ Commitment to Expand the Bahrain International Garden Show 2008
9 September 2007 by Riffa Views
Filed under Community
Your Excellencies and distinguished guests.
Good morning and a very warm welcome to all of you.
I am both delighted and honoured to confirm our title sponsorship of the 2008 Bahrain International Garden Show.
At Riffa Views, we are passionate about nature. We are transforming the environment to create a lush, green, living Oasis that will be sustainable and serene, where nature itself is the all-encompassing backdrop to a luxury lifestyle.
The Bahrain International Garden Show compliments everything that what we are creating at Riffa Views. So, I’m delighted to continue our sponsorship for the second year running.
I’d like to give you an overview of how this year’s Riffa Views’ sponsorship will continue to add new and exciting dimensions to the Bahrain International Garden Show – a show that’s increasingly recognised for the quality and breadth of its exhibitors.
But first, let’s take a moment to remember last year, when we embarked on our initial sponsorship with our own well-received Riffa Views Garden Display presentation.
The garden very cleverly replicated the landscaping style and themes of the development where arid desert scenes combine with emerald parkland and lagoons.
It showed exhibition visitors how Riffa Views is re-establishing the greenery of Bahrain with plants that are well-adapted to arid conditions in the varied gardens across our three Signature Estates.
Our commitment to landscaping and beatification for the residents of Riffa Views is apparent in our master plan, providing no less than 1000 state-of-the-art residences in a total area of 280 square hectares, where greenery and serene landscapes really are the centre stage of the development.
This time, we intend to make the 2008 Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show a truly international forum where visitors can explore new and innovative ways of making their gardens come alive with natural beauty – courtesy of a global team of garden and outdoor living experts.
Being inexorably linked with nature, sponsoring the garden show was a logical choice for us – because the natural environment is at the heart of the Riffa Views’ community. Our sponsorship follows in the footsteps of a number of our other key sponsorships all designed to leave a similar legacy to the people of Bahrain.
But I believe the Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show is about much more. It’s also a superb vehicle to reach out to the local community by way of educational and environmental initiatives.
It’s about making everyone from kindergarten to college; from business to the general community understand how precious Bahrain’s natural heritage actually is. It’s also about making them understand that we all have a duty to protect and nurture it.
I feel it is important to start raising awareness at the “grass roots”. We have to focus on educating and encouraging children to care for the environment and to appreciate one of life’s simpler pleasures – the beauty and aroma of a garden.
With that in mind, we are launching the Riffa Views “Design a Garden” competition to engage school children between the ages of 6 to 18.
The competition will be open to all primary and secondary schools in Bahrain, both government and private and the winning entries will be built as part of the schools competition stand at the 2008Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show.
Our pledge is to work with you to take the show to the next level, for it to be on a par with other international shows in terms of both the calibre and variety of exhibitors. To further enhance our commitment to expand the show Riffa Views will also grant $10,000 dls. to the best designed stand.
Everyone at Riffa Views wants to leave a legacy for Bahrain, a positive footprint in the shape of a sustainable and valuable contribution to the kingdom and its development.
We believe Bahrain, as one of the best kept secrets in the world, has everything it needs to take this to such a level.
In the same lines to further augment such international interest and excitement, we have enlisted the services of the BBC’s Flying Gardener, Chris Beardshaw, famed for his TV series and for designing award winning gardens exhibited at the renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Flower Show and the Malvern Spring Gardening Show to the delight of the hordes of garden enthusiasts who visit these shows.
Chris will be playing an active role as the Riffa Views’ Ambassador for the show and he will also be judging the Riffa Views “Design a Garden” competition.
By inviting a host of leading names, each respected in their field of expertise, I believe that we can make this garden show the most anticipated and comprehensive in the region.
Visitors want to feel, touch and “live” the Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show experience, to discover the latest and best of what gardening and outdoor living has to offer.
And, this year, the Riffa Views’ stand will be truly interactive with continuous live demonstrations of arts and crafts to capture the imagination of children and adults alike.
On a final note, I commit on behalf of everyone at Riffa Views to developing the show by working with all of you here. Together, we will make this the gardening and outdoor show in the Gulf. My intention is for it to become the Middle-eastern date on international gardening calendars – in other words, a resounding and sustainable success.
Thank you.
