Muscat – On World Wildlife Conservation Day, Cheltenham Muscat school and Oman Sail set a Guinness world record for the ‘Largest Plastic Bottle Sentence’, underlining the urgent need for collective action in tackling plastic waste globally.

The record-setting attempt, conducted over two days at the school, saw the participation of the entire school community, including students, staff, parents, local hotels and Environment Society of Oman. The initiative also marked the launch of Cheltenham Muscat’s international conservation programme ‘Project Earthlings’.

The event, involving five weeks of collecting bottles through household contributions and clean-up drives, culminated in forming the sentence ‘Project Earthlings has launched from Oman!’ The initiative was aimed not only at setting a record but also raising awareness on the critical issue of plastic waste and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Oona Carlin, Executive Principal of Cheltenham Muscat, emphasised the school’s commitment to environmental conservation and how Project Earthlings will enable students to actively participate in making a positive impact.

“Our pupils are conservation savvy; they are concerned about their environment and protecting it for future generations and Project Earthlings will allow them to be involved and to make a real difference.”

Dr Khamis al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, and Carlin received the official record certificate from Pravin Patel, Adjudicator for Guinness World Records. The ceremony was graced by H E Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali, Chairman of Majlis A’Shura, as Guest of Honour.

Patel lauded the achievement, noting that the previous record stood at 11,939 bottles, set in Mumbai, India. Cheltenham Muscat and Oman Sail surpassed it with a staggering 32,316 bottles, the largest letter being ‘O’ in Oman, comprising 1,613 plastic bottles. “This record is especially significant given the concurrent hosting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai,” said Patel.

Highlighting the importance of this achievement for Oman’s natural environment and wildlife, Jabri said, “To raise awareness on the dangers of plastic waste and achieve a new world record for Oman is an important message for the local community and the world. We must continue to do all we can to recycle, dispose of our waste appropriately and protect our natural environment.”

Expressing gratitude to Cheltenham Muscat school staff, students and the Oman Sail team, Jabri affirmed their commitment to championing conservation. “We will persist in our efforts to create a more sustainable and responsible future for the community and our nation,” he added.