Mariya Kolesnikova: The Festival of Education Gets Better and Better Every Year

Today, April 22nd, the IV Festival of Education, with the theme of “Ecology and Human Health,” commenced as part of the eco-project “Think Globally, Act Locally: Raising Awareness of the Environment Among Children and Teens.” The “Roza Otunbayeva’s Initiative” Fund and Bishkek Town Hall Department of Education were responsible for organizing and running the event. We would like to remind you that the goal of the eco-project is to increase awareness and responsibility for the environment among children and teens, as well as among the adults of Bishkek, through the transition from a bystander’s point of view to that of active participants in events that can lead to the creation of a healthy environment that is conducive to healthy lifestyles and sustainable development.

 

As was reported by the PR representative for the eco-project and the Festival of Education Mariya Kolesnikova, the Festival of Education is an annual two-day festival for children, teens, and parents. This even has already become a tradition of Bishkek, and has been taking place since 2013. The Festival is simultaneously a fair, children’s party, and professional forum in the field of children’s education..

 

The main goal of the Festival is to develop an interest for learning and the arts, as well as for developing skills, among children. Also, the event is meant to help children gain critical thinking skills at an early age and get acquainted with a variety of options for further education.

 

The audience for the Festival includes children in preschool and elementary school, teenagers, parents, as well as teachers, psychologists, daycare specialists, and other education professionals.

 

The Opening Ceremony of the Festival will take place today at the I.K. Akhunbayev Kyrgyz National Medical Academy. Various speakers, including director of the Fund and Festival organizer Roza Otunbayeva, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bishkek Town Hall, representatives of KNMA, and others, will help to start off the proceedings. This year’s IV Festival of Education will be focused on the effects of ecology on human health.

 

This means that guests will, over the course of two days, be able to plunge into the fascinating world of medicine and ecology. The schedule of the Festival is absolutely packed full of interesting events. This includes all sorts of workshops, shows, concerts, competitions, quizzes, demonstrations, excursions, ecological film screenings, lectures, health Q&A, and other activities. The Festival will be taking place both on the main campus of KNMA and in the Turar Kacimbekov KNMA medical center, where guests will be shown the facilities. Events will also be hosted on the KNMA Morphological campus and on nearby soccer and basketball fields.

 

“Every year, our Festival of Education gets more and more popular with children, teens, and adults. For example, at our first Festival on the 18th and 19ths of May in 2013, we got more than 20,000 guests, more than 150 organizations, more than 150 volunteers, and more than 350 events. Then, later Festivals brought even greater amounts of participants. It stands to reason that the Festival of Education is becoming better and better every year, and drawing even bigger crowds.”

 

This year’s Festival is special, because for the first time it will be an international event. The Festival will be inviting ecologist Marat Sabirov from Saint Petersburg, who will present his new eco-game “Ecologic.” Also, guests of the Festival will be interested to hear the Anatomical Museum and the KNMA Plastination Museum will be opening their doors for older students and adults.

 

“Amongst the proceedings you will also be able to also find lectures for teachers on subjects like ecological education, climate change, health, the impact of folk games on childhood development, eye gymnastics (taught by the Confucius Institute) and many other activities,” reported Mariya Kolesnikova.

 

The Festival’s territory will be divided into six or seven areas over the two days, which will include: interactive squares with educational exhibitions, fairs, seminars, competitions, quizzes, workshops, and concerts. Everyone can find something that interests at “Education for All,” “Professional Forum,” “Book Fair,” “Bilembek’s Laboratory,” “Fairy-Tale World,” “Sports Class,” or“Acting Class” events.

 

The second day of the Festival, April 23rd, will take place in the center of Bishkek at the base of the Kurmanjan Datka memorial, stretching from Tinistanov Str. to Razzakova Str. Nearby attractions include Oak Park, the “Seitek” Center for Children and Youth, and the Ch. Aitmatov Russian Dramaturgical Theater.

 

In previous years the Festival of Education was held at the I. Razzakov Kyrgyz Technical University and I.K. Skryabin Kyrgyz University of Agriculture.

 

“These events are held in universities because it is helpful for young boys and girls, all of whom will one day graduate high school and have to pick a profession. When they visit universities, they get a better understanding of what university means, and what majors and careers they can choose from,” remarked Mariya Kolesnikova.

 

According to her, there will also be an Education Fair, a charitable fair, an Eco-Bazaar, plays at the “Seitek” National Center for Children and Youth and Russian Dramaturgical Theater, demonstrations of Taekwondo, soccer, football, classes on “Emergency Care,” “Extreme Surgery,” “Exercise Therapy,” an inter-university comedic skit contest “What are You, an Active Citizen?,” and much, much more.

Ainura Kanimetova,

“Kutbilim”