According to the president's press service, this event became an important platform for uniting efforts to protect the snow leopard, popularizing the cultural and natural heritage of the region, attracting tourists, and promoting sustainable development in mountainous areas.
As part of the festival, a ceremonial opening of a bridge and an observation deck located near the jade stone took place, adding a new attraction to the Jeti-Oguz district, which is considered a potential tourist destination.
Dinara Kemelova emphasized that the snow leopard, which has become a national symbol of Kyrgyzstan at the initiative of President Sadyr Japarov, embodies the country's natural wealth and serves as an important indicator of the state of mountain ecosystems.
She also noted that work on snow leopard conservation is being carried out systematically within the framework of the Five-Year Action Plan for the Development of Mountain Regions (2023–2027), aimed at protecting ecosystems, improving the quality of life for mountain communities, and developing responsible ecotourism.
The festival included a competition of sculptures and exhibits of the snow leopard made from ice, snow, foam, and other materials, as well as an art and drawing competition involving schoolchildren, teachers, and educators from the Jeti-Oguz district.
Participants were presented with national games, a crafts exhibition, a demonstration of national costumes, horseback riding and sledding, as well as tasting traditional dishes.
The event was attended by representatives from various ministries and agencies, local authorities, business structures, public organizations, artisans, residents of the Jeti-Oguz district and neighboring regions, as well as guests from abroad. In total, the festival gathered more than 2,000 participants.
