August 19, 2020. Online round table “Water-saving issues in the media of Uzbekistan” was organized in the CAREC-TIIAME Innovations and Scientific Research Cluster via the Zoom platform with the participation of representatives of regional and international organizations, journalists and NGOs from various regions of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The event was held in line with the awarding ceremony of the winners of a media contest organized by the UzWaterAware project among the participants of a series of field trainings by the In-Service Training Centre for Journalists of Uzbekistan.
The trainings and media contest were held during 2018-2019 within the UzWaterAware project implemented by CAREC with the financial support of the European Union. The events covered journalists and representatives of water and environmental NGOs from Andijan, Bukhara, Djizakh, Navoi, Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, Fergana, Kashkadarya, Tashkent regions and the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
The main objective of trainings and contests is to raise water awareness, communication, and technical skills of media representatives, as well as cooperation with the non-governmental sector in covering water issues. As a result of preliminary selection, 97 competition works on TV and radio journalism, internet, and print media were considered.
CAREC Executive Director Mr. Zafar Makhmudov gave a welcoming speech at the event on August 19, joining the online broadcast from the Head Office in Almaty:
“Since 2001, CAREC has been working to address water and environmental issues in partnership with international organizations, government agencies, and NGOs throughout the Central Asian region. Over the past few years, we have managed to find another active and interested partner – the journalists. Today, in each of the implemented regional and national projects, we try to provide a training component for the media to improve their knowledge and skills in covering water and environmental issues. One of the projects that pays special attention to this is UzWaterAware, implemented by the country office in Uzbekistan with the financial support of the European Union,” noted Mr. Makhmudov.
Press and Information Adviser of the European Union Delegation to Uzbekistan Ms. Narghiza Alikulova pointed out that the UzWaterAware project, as part of the EU Programme “Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan”, is an important informational component of this programme.
“Since the beginning of the project in 2016, about 12 different thematic trainings have been organized with the involvement of journalists in 10 regions of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan. During the trainings, media representatives and bloggers were able to improve their knowledge on actual water and environmental issues of the country and the region, learning the peculiarities of coverage of this theme. Special attention was also paid to the importance of cooperation between mass media, press services of state bodies, and non-governmental organizations. It should be noted that during the past period journalists, who participated in the trainings, prepared about 530 materials on water and environmental topics,” said Ms. Alikulova.
Director of the In-Service Training Centre Ms. Gulnara Babadjanova noted the importance of cooperation between local NGOs and major regional and international organizations on the example of partnership with the UzWaterAware project.
The online event included a discussion on “Developing the most effective (especially in time of pandemics and quarantine) recommendations on the sustainability of the project and further implementation of its objectives aimed at raising public awareness through the media, NGOs, and government organizations” where participants shared their ideas and suggestions.
The most enjoyable part of the event was the announcement of the four main winners of the competition “Media coverage of water issues and water consumption in Uzbekistan”.
Among the winners with laptops as main prizes of the contest are Mr. Abdulaziz Musayev (UzA), Mr. Ulugbek Khamrokulov (Dunyo Buylab TV channel), Ms. Marifat Mavlonova (Djizakh radio), and Mr. Mansur Khasanov (Samarkand newspaper).
The winners in the incentive categories were also announced: Ms. Saiyora Shoeva, Ms. Olima Khamroeva, Mr. Bakhtiyor Muminov, Mr. Doniyor Djuraev, Ms. Mastura Khamroeva, Ms. Nafisa Kholmuminova, Ms. Gulnaz Nurbekova, Ms. Zebokhon Saidova, and Ms. Mavzhuda Sobirboeva.
Finalizing the event, Ms. Shakhnoza Umarova, Director of CAREC Branch Office in Uzbekistan and the UzWaterAware Project Manager, expressed gratitude to the European Union, the donor of the project, for the opportunity to implement interesting, important, and promising initiatives in covering water and environmental issues. She also thanked the journalists – the main participants of the majority of activities of the UzWaterAware project – for attention, high involvement, and reverent attitude to work and cooperation.
The UzWaterAware project is implemented by CAREC with the financial 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.
