The first festival of inclusive education, "Inclusive KG-BIRDEY", took place in Bishkek

On September 18, the first festival of inclusive education "Inclusive KG-BIRDEY" was held in Adinai Park in Bishkek. The aim of the festival, according to the organizers, was "to raise awareness about the theme of inclusive education in Kyrgyzstan and to draw attention to the need for change in the education system.”

As part of the concert programme "Inclusive KG-BIRDEY", there were performances by children with disabilities and national pop stars; various workshops and master classes in chess, drawing and pottery were held during the same time. An exhibition of drawings by disabled children was also organized.

The event was attended by Dogdurgul Kendirbayeva, Director of the Rosa Otunbayeva Initiative Foundation, who in turn delivered her welcoming speech where she thanked the organizer of the festival, Veronique Garrett, and stressed the importance of such events.

Present at the Inclusive KG-BIRDEY were British Ambassador, Charles Garrett; Head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Kyrgyzstan, Christine Jaulmes; Head of UN Women in Kyrgyzstan, Ulziyisuren Zhamsran; Member of Parliament, Dastan Bekeshev; Head of the Public Foundation "League for Child Protection", Nazgul Turdubekova; and founder of the "Junior Park" kindergarten, Alla Khramtsova.

The event was organised by Veronique Garrett, the spouse of the British Ambassador, in partnership with the Initiative Group,"Society without Borders"; the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF; the international educational institution, "Sapat"; the charity foundation, "Elimbarsynby"; and others.

*Inclusive education is a process whereby children with disabilities learn together with children without special needs.