The company "Kumtor" finances the environmental education project for the youth of Kyrgyzstan "Zhashyl Oy."

The national environmental program "Zhashyl Oi" has been implemented for the second consecutive year by the "Youth Initiative Development Fund" with financial support from "Kumtor Gold Company". The goal of the project is to create educational platforms for the youth of Kyrgyzstan to familiarize them with best practices in environmental protection, ecological safety, and sustainability.

This year, the environmental camp program included three stages. The first part, titled "Zhashyl Oi — Youth," took place from June 7 to 14 in Bishkek. Young men and women aged 14 to 18 from all regions of the republic participated in workshops on topics such as ecological safety, water and sanitation, urban pollution, and more. The formation of an ecological culture among adolescents is an important part of the program. It is at this age that value orientations are established, and obtaining reliable knowledge will create conditions for forming the necessary level of ecological and legal culture.

The second part of the eco-camp, titled "Zhashyl Oi — Youth," took place from July 29 to August 4 in the village of Kadzhi-Sai in the Issyk-Kul region, involving activists and leaders of public organizations aged 18 to 25. Specially invited experts, professors, ecologists, and leaders of public organizations successfully working in this field participated in the trainings and seminars. The eco-camp became a place for acquiring new knowledge and exchanging experiences, a think tank for developing new ideas for environmental preservation. Some participants received grants of up to one thousand dollars to implement their projects. Additionally, some camp participants had the opportunity to visit the "Kumtor" mine to learn about production and observe firsthand the measures taken to protect the environment at the site.

The concluding part of the eco-camp was the International Forum "Zhashyl Oi — 2014." It took place from August 20 to 25 in Cholpon-Ata, involving young specialists from the CIS countries, the Baltics, and the Caucasus working on environmental projects and programs. The main topics of discussion at the forum included anthropogenic impacts on ecology and raising awareness of environmental issues. During discussions and debates, participants agreed that all countries influence each other's ecology and that only together can sustainable results be achieved in environmental preservation.

"For our company, the issue of environmental protection is very important. At the "Kumtor" mine, an environmental management system is established at all stages of production, and constant monitoring of the situation is conducted. By supporting the eco-camp, we aim to instill in the youth a careful attitude towards the environment, expanding their understanding and perception of ecological problems," noted Douglas Greer, Director of Sustainable Development at "Kumtor Gold Company."

Photo: Vladislav Ushakov
Source: time.kg