The 9th Central Asian Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development starts in Almaty on 17th of September. The program is designed for young leaders of Central Asia and Afghanistan from the government, academic and business sectors. During CALP, the participants take a course on ecology and sustainable development, they receive a lot of information about processes and platforms for cooperation in the field of environment and sustainable development at the global and regional levels.
On the occasion of the launch of the 9th CALP, the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia interviewed alumni of the programme.
"The main expectation from the programme was to get knowledge on the most important areas of sustainable development. But during the participation, I realized how this programme is diverse. It includes a very important human factor: I met with young environmental specialists of Central Asia and Afghanistan, with representatives of international organizations working in the region, and with well-deserved professors of the region and beyond"- recalls Nataliya Chemayeva, a young specialist in the field of water diplomacy from Turkmenistan. She participated in the Central Asian Leadership Programme in 2016.
The graduate believes that she has received important knowledge in the field of climate change, water cooperation, as well as various conventions adopted by the countries of the region. Nataliya also noted that thanks to the CALP, she realized her own strength: "The fact that I really can bring my small contribution to the region".
A year after graduation, Nataliya was elected to CALP Organizing Committee. "It was such an honour and, at the same time, a responsibility to me," she shares her impressions. The objectives of the Organizing Committee include the development of a network of CALP alumni, the promotion of the programme at the events around the world, as well as the transfer of experience to new participants of the programme, new leaders.
Nataliya has become friends with many of the graduates of the CALP and still keeps in touch, meeting at various conferences and seminars: "After the end of the CALP, I got not only a participant's certificate but also 30 friends all over Central Asia ... How does this help in our daily work? It allows us to instantly establish friendly relations among us, and hence for the future among the countries of Central Asia. And this experience is really priceless, "Natalya is sure.
Currently, Nataliya is in Costa Rica. She is studying a joint Master's programme of three universities on Water Cooperation and Diplomacy: University for Peace (Costa Rica), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (Netherlands), Oregon State University (USA). And even in Costa Rica Nataliya met a graduate of the CALP-2017 from Kyrgyzstan. And with a fellow student from Afghanistan, thanks to the CALP, the girl found a mutual friend. And this is not an accident, over 8 years of the programme, 230 young specialists took part in it.
The Master's programme, which Natalia is studying, is on for a second year. It aims to provide extensive knowledge of technical as well as political components in the water sector. This year among the participants of the programme are students from all countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan. "It allows us to fully share our accumulated experience and knowledge with each other. Now we are deeply studying the approaches of the UN on the resolution and mitigation of conflicts and are already beginning to work on the thesis papers, "Nataliya explained. Nataliya Chemayeva plans to develop in the direction of water cooperation further and apply the acquired knowledge in practice.
