( OSCE ) - Raising awareness of sustainable development is the main objective of a summer camp which ends in Almaty tomorrow. It was organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana in partnership with the NGO National Forum for Radiological Protection and Ecology.
During the ten-day training course, 21 teenagers from the Aral Sea region received basic knowledge on environmental rehabilitation and economic improvement with a focus on problems specific to their region. Through games and interactive exercises, students learnt how to develop concrete projects for the rehabilitation of the Aral Sea region. The best ideas will be submitted to local authorities upon completion of the summer school.
"The summer camp programme is an important addition to education on environmental issues and sustainable development, which is now well incorporated into Kazakhstan's school curriculum," said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, Head of the OSCE Centre. "We prioritize working with children from the most vulnerable regions of Kazakhstan, such as Semipalatinsk and the Aral Sea region."
For decades, the shrinking of the Aral Sea has had a continuous negative impact on the population and the environment. Today, the local population is involved in the environmental, social and economic rehabilitation of the region, which is crucial to its sustainable development.
This year's project follows up on the previous summer camps devoted to radiological safety, which the OSCE Centre organized for children of the Semipalatinsk area.