Zainab al Lawati makes sustainability a shared responsibility

As Oman celebrates Omani Women’s Day, Zainab al Lawati reflects on a decade-long passion for sustainability, which has grown into Estidama Events, a platform dedicated to making environmental awareness more accessible, engaging and meaningful for the wider community.

For Zainab al Lawati, sustainability begins with a simple idea: living well today without compromising the opportunities of future generations. Through Estidama Events, the founder and managing director is transforming this principle into interactive experiences that bring environmental responsibility closer to everyday life.

Her journey began around a decade ago when she was involved in organising an energy-efficiency awareness event. The experience sparked an interest in sustainability and its potential to connect people with complex environmental issues. Although her professional work later focused on policies, regulations and sustainable development solutions, she recognised that lasting change required more than frameworks and technical discussions.

“People also need to understand how sustainability connects to their daily lives and communities,” she said.

This realisation led her to establish Estidama Events, a platform that uses workshops, podcasts, games and community activities to make sustainability more accessible and engaging.

Growing up in Oman, surrounded by mountains, seas and diverse landscapes, helped shape her appreciation for nature. Her professional experience subsequently deepened her understanding of how consumption, resource use and economic activities affect the environment.

For al Lawati, sustainability is not simply about preserving landscapes, but recognising humanity’s place within the natural world.

“We are part of nature, not separate from it, and our wellbeing is deeply connected to its wellbeing,” she said.

Through Estidama Events, she seeks to move environmental conversations beyond professional circles and encourage people of different ages and backgrounds to see themselves as part of the solution. Initiatives such as Estidama Bridges: From the Netherlands to Oman, developed in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Oman, have brought local and international expertise to Omani audiences, exploring subjects including the circular economy, climate change and nature storytelling.

Another initiative, The Last Drop Café, takes a hands-on approach. Developed as a sustainability board game, it challenges participants to run a café while balancing profitability, customer satisfaction and waste reduction. Players discover how decisions that benefit one area can create challenges elsewhere, encouraging discussion about the complexities of sustainable choices. The game reached a wider audience when it was launched at Oman Climate Week 2026.

Her commitment to community participation is also reflected in the first edition of Estidama Community Lab, launched in collaboration with Oman Sail in celebration of Omani Women’s Day. The initiative gives female students aged 14 and above an opportunity to present sustainability ideas, exchange perspectives with community members and experts, and explore ways to develop their proposals.

Building Estidama Events alongside a full-time career has required patience, resourcefulness and a willingness to take risks. Securing partners, managing logistics and turning awareness into lasting behavioural change remain among her challenges. Nevertheless, she believes meaningful progress can begin with small initiatives that bring people together.

Looking ahead, al Lawati hopes to expand the board game into schools, universities and organisations, establish annual governorate-level editions of Estidama Community Lab, and develop further partnerships that introduce new sustainability perspectives to Oman.

As Oman celebrates the achievements and contributions of its women, al Lawati’s journey highlights how individual initiative can create opportunities for collective progress. Her work also reflects the value of women creating spaces for others to participate, contribute ideas and help address shared environmental challenges.

For young Omani women aspiring to create positive change, her advice is to begin before everything feels certain.

“Don’t wait until you feel completely ready to begin,” she said. “Start with something you care about. You don’t have to start big and you don’t have to do everything on your own.”