NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan participated in World Cleanup Day on Sept. 19, the press service of the Association of Environmental Organizations of Kazakhstan reported.
Photo credit: The press service of Nur-Sultan city administration.
Volunteers, activists and civil servants had an opportunity to meet like-minded people and to contribute to the development of ecological consciousness in Kazakh society.
“Head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that it is necessary to pay attention to the ecological education of the younger generation in schools and universities in his state-to-the-nation address this September. The Birge – taza Qazaqstan (Together – Clean Kazakhstan) environmental campaign aimed to strengthen environmental values in society that should be reinforced regularly,” said the organizers.
This year, the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources initiated a tree planting campaign. The activists planted trees in a triathlon park, and organized waste collection efforts along the highways leading into the capital. Sanitary and epidemiological measures were observed during these activities.
Photo credit: The press service of Nur-Sultan city administration.
“This is only the beginning of a major nationwide action as part of the Kazakh President’s stated intention of planting 2 billion trees in forests and 15 million plants in towns within five years. Tree planting will continue throughout the country. Today we plant trees in a new park in the center of the capital. These trees will protect athletes from the wind, while making this place more comfortable and beautiful. The park will become a popular destination for locals and contribute to the environmental improvement of the city,” said Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagaliyev.
Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev, Nur-Sultan Mayor Altai Kulginov, the Mazhilis (lower house of Kazakh Parliament) Vice Speaker Vladimir Bozhko, public figures, athletes and volunteers took part in the campaign.
The city administration expects to plant approximately 30,000 trees and create 80,000 green areas this year. The number of trees will increase each year.
The East Kazakhstan region organized the large-scale campaign among the regions with the participation of 30,000 residents who collected waste.
Government officials, schoolchildren, students and volunteers took part in the event. To meet the sanitary standards, the areas were divided into small locations with 10 people, who observed a distance of 1.5 meters.
“Many people responded when we posted information about the upcoming action on social networks,” said head of the regional Association of Environmental Initiatives Yelena Berezinskaya-Abilova. “People came here today because they wanted to. Everyone made their own contribution by cleaning up the area. Public concerns about environmental issues increases in the country every year.”
The military personnel of the Akmola garrison planted 250 trees as part of the campaign, reported Khabar Agency. They also cleaned the forest belt adjacent to the Nur-Sultan-Karaganda highway and helped the city utilities transport the garbage to the plant.
Some 157 countries and 18 million volunteers globally take part in the World Cleanup day campaign every year. Kazakhstan has been participating in the campaign for three years now.
