From September 25 to 28, the Aarhus Centres of Bishkek, Issyk-Kul, and Naryn regions, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, conducted an off-site training session on the topic “Increasing knowledge among youth on the fundamentals of environmental preservation.” Students from K. Karasayev Bishkek State University, I. Tynystanov Issyk-Kul State University, and N. Naamatov Naryn State University gathered on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.

In the first stage of the event, introductory meetings and presentations by student groups took place, alongside informational presentations on the activities of all Aarhus Centres. Invited heads from the Issyk-Kul Territorial Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic (MNRETS KR) and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan (REC CA) delivered their working materials, and an SMM master class was held.

In the second part, a training session was conducted for the students on the topic “The Aarhus Convention – a guarantee of prosperous coexistence with nature and responsibility for its condition.” During the training, students gained knowledge about the international Convention, its principles and provisions, reviewed all chapters of the Aarhus Convention, and learned methods for its application in everyday life. Special attention was paid to the articles concerning the three principles of the Convention and the significance of each one.

The participants also presented their homework and completed assignments during the training. They particularly enjoyed the task of preparing a short video on an environmental topic.

During the training, the participants paid close attention to the materials provided, showed interest in the suggested topics, asked numerous questions, and offered their ideas on applying the Convention.

At the end of the training, the participants offered recommendations regarding the method of material delivery, approaches to engagement, raising interest in learning, and proposals for joint participation in preparing and presenting training materials with the lecturers.

Upon completion, all participants were presented with souvenirs and certificates of completion for the training.