Meraas confirmed that it will be taking part in Earth Hour this year as part of a concerted effort to raise awareness in the region of Mother Earth’s precious resources that are under pressure and threat.

Meraas will switch off lights on Saturday, 30 March at 8:30pm across nine destinations including Al Seef, Bluewaters, Boxpark, City Walk, Kite Beach, La Mer, Last Exit, The Beach and The Outlet Village.

Meraas is aiming to encourage visitors to engage with the key message of Earth Hour: appreciate the natural world around you, preserve it and make the most of it.

Earth Hour, an annual event held on the last Saturday of March, has inspired millions of people and businesses around the world to switch off their lights and electrical appliances in a bid to demonstrate that human life is not entirely dependent on electricity. Earth Hour also highlights initiatives that could bring relief to the current strain on Earth’s resources.

The lights to be turned off at Meraas’ destinations include landscaping lights, building façade lights, the unmistakable rings on strings at City Walk, as well as the Houston Rings at City Walk junctions, Meraas’ hashtag signs, rooftop building signs, building lobby and parking lights, and advertising screens. At Bluewaters, the mosque’s façade and internal lights, the blue LED strip light on the pedestrian bridge and all tunnel LED strip decoration will be turned off for the hour.