On April 26th, a clean-up event (subbotnik) dedicated to International Parks Day, celebrated worldwide on April 22nd, was held in the upper zone of the Gareev Botanical Garden. The subbotnik was organized by the Aarhus Center in Bishkek with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, which assisted in the purchase of seedlings, personal protective equipment (gloves), garbage bags, and drinking water. The Botanical Garden prepared the planting site by digging holes and provided tools for everyone, as well as a tractor with a water tank for irrigation. However, before starting the subbotnik, Botanical Garden staff conducted a safety briefing and taught participants the rules for planting greenery.

The subbotnik was divided into 2 parts: planting seedlings in a new area of the garden and cleaning up litter along 7 April Street. Employees from the Aarhus Center, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, the Botanical Garden, partners from CAREC, the Green Alliance, the Red Crescent, and public organizations “Zherdin balalary” and “Jashtar kyimily” participated in the event. Residents of Bishkek also joined in, with entire families actively participating in planting trees.

During the event, about 500 seedlings of various fruit-bearing varieties were planted, and a large amount of plastic bags and bottles were collected.

The Aarhus Center expresses its sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the landscaping and improvement of one of the most beloved and beautiful recreational areas for residents and guests of the capital.