On August 18, 2023, the youth festival EduCO Fest was held for the first time in the Central Park named after Mirzo Ulugbek (formerly Telman Park).
The event aimed to promote quality education in the field of ecology and demonstrate the high demand for this profession in the labor market in Uzbekistan and worldwide.
The festival was organized by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, and the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies (Green University).
EduCO Fest is a synergy of education and ecology, aimed at popularizing education in the field of ecology as an exciting, promising, and in demand field for youth in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
The event was attended by the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, Aziz Abdukhakimov, the head of UNICEF representation in Uzbekistan, Munir Mammadzade, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Uzbekistan Amira Fahmi, representatives of active youth, international organizations, media, and others.
"There are many environmental problems not only in our country but also in the world. However, this is also an opportunity for such talented youth like you. Use your opportunities not only as activists but also as professionals, receive fundamental education in those areas that will be most in demand in the future. Ecology is one of the highest-paying and most promising fields according to the World Economic Forum," said Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov.
Advisor to the Minister of Ecology, Suna Park, also spoke about the importance of the educational festival for youth.
"Such festivals bring people together. Today we combined short presentations and lectures with a musical program, created a corner for vacancies so that people could learn something new. Therefore, organizing such public events is very useful and effective," said Suna Park.
"I believe that this festival helped to show the youth another side of the field of ecology. We witnessed how local and international companies in the vacancies area offered active youth internships and further employment," added the minister's advisor.
The event featured a series of motivational lectures in the Pecha-Kucha format, where authors shared their stories and projects. With the assistance of the Association of Volunteers of Uzbekistan and the Youth Agency, the authors of environmental projects from four regions of the country were selected, who, along with international experts and heads of organizations, made their presentations. An important part of the event was a green job fair, where international organizations, representatives of the private and public sectors talked about career opportunities for specialists with environmental education. UNICEF, FAO, UNDP projects, KPMG, and others told youth about vacancies and internships in their organizations. The EduCO Fest program was packed with various musical performances, SWАP markets, and masterclasses. As a result of the game "Eco Zakovat", the winners of the quiz received tablets provided by UNICEF.
The event also showcased the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies (Green University), established by Presidential Decree in May 2023.
For reference, Green University is the first higher education institution of its kind that prepares highly qualified specialists of a new format capable of addressing modern environmental challenges not only in Uzbekistan but also in the region. The university applies an interdisciplinary approach in its educational programs, and students will have the opportunity to study such relevant areas as international environmental law, environmental journalism, sustainable development, environmental management, and governance.
It is worth noting that, according to the World Economic Forum, the most highly paid professions of the future are aimed at the following areas: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, ecology and climate, and medicine.
