KOKAND (Uzbekistan). On May 17, CAREC Branch in Uzbekistan within European Union funded project UzWaterAware participated in the unique event – youth game “KVN” with water and environmental issues in focus. Eco-KVN was organized in Kokand city of Fergana region and initiated by NGO “Salomatlik Plus Ecology” with the support of local administration, Youth Union subdivision, Fergana department of Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan and CAREC.
The audience consisted of local youth, representatives of authorities and administration, as well as the students and teachers of colleges whose teams were presented in this performance.
“This event is the result of the social partnership between governmental and non-governmental organizations. Such format gives the opportunity to spread important knowledge among students not during the class lectures, but in the form of play and jokes through a peer-to-peer approach. It also allows reminding the audience the importance to save the natural resources, to use water efficiently, and to protect the environment. We hope that such approach will help change the attitude of the youth to environmental issues”, Ms Khadicha Nazarova, the Chairperson of “Salomatlik Plus Ecology”, noted.
The competition consisted of three parts:
1. “Ecology is…” where the participants showed what ecology means for them;
2. “Water is Life” in the form of the fairy tale;
3. Who is the ecologist-volunteer?
The main illustration of eco-KVN was the bright thematic banner, which was created especially for this event within UzWaterAware project. Four teams with members from different colleges of Kokand were competing in ingenuity and wit covering the given topics during their performances. Through songs and dancing, plays and jokes the teams shared gained knowledge, showed their view and opinion in solving environmental issues and outplayed the examples of good behaviour and attitude to the environment.
One of the most inspired spectators was Canadian blogger Ms Lauren Kana Chan, the winner of EU Faces2Hearts contest. Since the beginning of her stay in Uzbekistan, she has already visited several regions of the country where EU projects are being implemented and came to Kokand to see this special eco-KVN.
“I am glad that I was able to attend the performance as a guest. It gave me an opportunity to understand how young people are being involved to share a message about the environment. It was inspiring to see the energy that the students were able to bring on stage. As a blogger, I also believe that there are many non-traditional forms to share a story and communicate a message. I am grateful to be a part of this performance. Thank you”, she shared her emotion.
Based on the results of eco-KVN, the judges handed out prizes and certificates to all teams, and the game itself became a real holiday both for the participants and the spectators. Participants of all teams received stylish themed T-shirts of the UzWaterAware project on raising the awareness.
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The UzWaterAware project is implemented by CAREC with the support of the European Union during the period 2016-2019. The overall objective of the project is to sensitise and generate a greater degree of awareness on the strategic importance of water saving, water conservation and environmental protection under the conditions of climate change.
