Eco-culture: interim outcome of initiatives

On May 18 & 19, 2021, the Public Foundation for Innovative Technologies, "Terra Public," organized the Biennale Forum of cultural initiatives, an event which has successfully been implemented in Kyrgyzstan for more than 15 years.

The eco-project, "Think Globally, Act Locally: Increasing Environmental Responsibility among Children and Youth" and the “Festival of Education” project, implemented by the "Rosa Otunbayeva Initiative" International Public Foundation, presented their activities and initiatives at the forum.

Preservation of traditional ecological knowledge and its integration into the modern methodology of education through various activities, along with the creation of visual learning aids, are the main objectives of the eco-project. The Methodological Guide and game didactic material developed earlier, "The Chest of Knowledge: We Study Our Kyrgyzstan" in Kyrgyz and Russian, was presented at the Biennale. The material is designed for methodologists, pre-school teachers and primary school teachers. Developed materials were approved by the Kyrgyz Academy of Education in 2019.

For the young visitors at the Biennale exhibition, the project prepared and conducted an interesting virtual journey through Kyrgyzstan under the slogan: "Know, love, and take care of your Motherland - Kyrgyzstan!" Our invited guest and good friend of our projects, Urmat Borchenov, read several chapters from the book for young listeners, "We Study Our Kyrgyzstan"

We would like to remind you that in spring 2020, during the COVID-19 quarantine the book "We Study Our Kyrgyzstan" was read in two languages by famous representatives of creative youth of the country, and videos were prepared which contribute to the strengthening of families and education on stewardship and respect towards nature and the homeland!!

All Virtual Journey videos are available to all our viewers on our youtube channel

Alongside workshops and presentations, we held the “Caravan of Knowledge on Environmental Education” using modern digital tools. Our Caravan guests were not only able to listen to interesting information and watch a presentation with animated cartoons, but they were able to test their knowledge interactively.

During the implementation of the project since 2014, more than 150 presentations of the “Caravan of Knowledge on Environmental Education” have been held in all schools in Bishkek and summer school camps involving more than 14,000 schoolchildren.

The environmental project aim is to increase environmental responsibility and the level of ecological culture among children and young people, and residents of Bishkek, through the transition from the position of an outside observer to an active participant in environmental events and activities. The objective here is to create a favorable environment for healthy lifestyles and sustainable development.

The Exhibition also showcased the results of the project's many years of work in greening and carrying out numerous activities to promote bio-cultural diversity in cooperation and with the support of many government and international organizations*.

At the plenary discussion, Daniiar Suyunduk uulu, eco-project specialist, spoke about the Foundation's eco-initiatives, their multiplication and results in his presentation "Generator of Eco-initiatives and Their Transformation into Eco-trends".

* The eco-action, "Green Bishkek: School Landscaping" saplings were planted in 147 organizations (schools, pre-school educational organizations and educational development centers). More than 48,000 saplings (trees and bushes) were planted. One of the main goals was to create a Bishkek "Green Belt", according to the idea of the famous ecologist Emil Shukurov.

 - Eco-action: "My Green Friend." More than 3,000 children from Bishkek pre-school educational organizations and boarding schools were trained in proper planting and care of houseplants. 

Of course, it was impossible to miss the presentation of the "Festival of Education" project at the exhibition, which is the main platform for various partners (state, public and private) to meet and strengthen cooperation and development of bio-cultural diversity in Bishkek.

Four out of seven Education Festivals have been held within the framework of the eco-project, with over 80,000 participants.

To educate an environmentally cultured younger generation to live in harmony with the world around them, it is necessary to have relevant and innovative educational resources in the form of entertaining books, collections of traditional games, useful eco-cartoons, or board games that inspire generations to fight for the environment. Our projects are successfully implemented and contribute to the promotion of traditional knowledge and eco-cultural practices.