A dazzling Tree of Light on show at Dubai Festival City Mall has broken a new Guinness World Record as the largest solar power lightbulb display ever created – thanks to the innovative Al-Futtaim Group.
The display, which is in the shape of the UAE’s Ghaf national tree and is the region’s latest Guinness World Record project, was created over three weeks and uses 3,000 solar lanterns which will light up the lives of energy poor villagers around the world.
The Tree of Light builds on Al-Futtaim’s collaboration with COP28, where it acted as the Strategic E-Mobility Partner, and serves to reinforce its commitment to sustainability.
Lighting Up Lives
But as well as highlighting renewable energy, the solar lanterns will be put to a practical use afterwards when they are donated to 3,000 households in villages globally where electricity is scarce or non-existent.
This will take place in partnership with Liter of Light, a UNESCO-affiliated social enterprise which provides affordable, sustainable energy to communities without access to electricity.
The tree was created by 1,000 students from Al Futtaim Education Foundation’s Universal American School and Deira International School, who were given training and sustainability-oriented lessons by Liter of Light.
The pupils were taught the importance and the aesthetics of renewables along with information on global environmental challenges with the objective of instilling socially conscious attitudes among potential leaders in many fields.
Kerry Ross, COO, Al Futtaim Education Foundation, said: ‘As one of the leading businesses within the UAE, steering such an initiative is integral in our mission of fostering a culture of sustainability across all our diverse divisions and communities.
Solar Power
‘We actively involved the next-generation – students from Al-Futtaim schools, Universal American School and Deira International School – to play a key role in creating these solar lanterns, learn about environmental challenges and bring light to underprivileged communities.
‘At the same time, it was equally important to engage people through our public workshops and activities at Dubai Festival City Mall, highlighting the importance of collaboration in shifting to cleaner energy and addressing global energy inequalities.’
Since 2020, Liter of Light has been involved in building large solar art installations to raise awareness of sustainable energy.
Each of its hand-built light installations lasts for five years, reducing carbon emissions by 1,000 kg as they replace traditional forms of lighting, especially kerosene – which, as a non-renewable oil contributes to greenhouse gas emissions – with clean energy.
Illac Diaz, Founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light, explained: ‘In the case of access to clean, affordable energy, close to one billion people around the world still cannot access or afford electricity.
‘At a time when climate anxiety, especially among young people, is at an all-time high, we believe it is essential to work together with local communities and youth to understand the challenges, but more importantly the opportunities to take action.
Net Zero Initiative
‘We have partnered with Al-Futtaim Group as part of a net zero initiative to amplify climate voices from across the Asia, Middle East and North Africa region.
‘By collaborating with established business groups such as Al-Futtaim Group and its diverse divisions, we hope to inspire people to reduce their carbon footprint while contributing in a tangible way to reducing energy poverty in the places where we operate across the region.’
Launched to commemorate International Earth Month in April the Tree of Light is the work of multiple divisions of the company, which operates across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, including Al-Futtaim Real Estate, Al-Futtaim Education Foundation, Al-Futtaim Automotive, Dubai Festival City Mall and Al-Futtaim’s loyalty programme, Blue Rewards.
Al-Futtaim Real Estate has also organised a series of activities at Dubai Festival City Mall. Visitors were invited to take a pledge for the planet and receive 1,000 Blue Rewards points in return.
Additionally, the group hosted interactive, educational workshops on making Solar Lanterns every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, throughout April.
The display is available for public viewing from May 24–26, from 6pm to 11pm, at the North Helipad in Dubai Festival City Mall.