On December 12, 2017, the introductory meeting with water and ecological NGOs, state and youth organizations was organized by the Branch of Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Uzbekistan with the financial support of the European Union. The event was held within UzWaterAware project aimed to raise the awareness of population on the issues of water consumption as well as to strengthen the partnership between governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure sustainable water and environmental development in Uzbekistan.
The representatives of press-services of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection, Ecological Movement, Ecoforum, Youth Union, state children’s center “Barkamol avlod”, heads and experts of water and ecological NGOs from Fergana, Khorezm, Navoi, Samarkand and Tashkent regions, Republic of Karakalpakstan and Tashkent city were in attendance.
The active meeting took place in the local co-working center and started from welcoming speeches of the Director of CAREC Branch in Uzbekistan Ms. Shakhnoza Umarova, Project Manager of the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan Mr. Doniyor Kuckharov, and the member of CAREC Advisory Council, the chairperson of the Board of Ecoforum Mr. Saidrasul Sanginov.
Then participants introduced their organizations and projects, discussed environmental issues. Furthermore, the audience has filled in the special questionnaire which allows UzWaterAware team to define the baseline of a partnership between these organizations and their cooperation with the media. A special attention in the questionnaire was paid to the preferences of participants regarding their capacity development with the help of seminars and training. This information will help to competently direct the project’s efforts to the development of a partnership between relevant state agencies, water and ecological NGOs, youth and children's organizations.
During the meeting, Environmental Management Program Specialist from CAREC - Ms. Balzhan Zhumagazina gave an overview of CAREC cooperation with NGO sector as well as current initiatives and further plans ahead of the Central Asian International Environmental Forum to take place in Tashkent in 2018.
It was noted that a special panel session will include the participation of representatives of water and ecological non-governmental organizations, and this meeting gives additional opportunities to hold preparatory works with NGOs in this direction.