ASTANA – The European Union (EU) unveiled a mural titled “Sustainable Energy for a Better Future” at school No. 59 in Astana on Oct. 11, reported the press office of the EU’s Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA) project.
School Principal Alma Zhumabekova, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kestutis Jankauskas and participants of the opening ceremony. Photo credit: SECCA Media.
The mural is the EU’s gift to the school in recognition of its achievements in energy saving and energy efficiency, and contributions to raising awareness on green energy among the young generation.
Kestutis Jankauskas, the EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan, announced the EU’s intention to present the mural at a ceremony held as part of the EU-Kazakhstan Sustainable Energy Days campaign back in June, when the SECCA selected the school as the most energy efficient among 100 public schools in Astana.
At the mural’s opening ceremony, attended by school teachers, students, parents, city officials, аnd EU representatives, Jankauskas expressed his delight with the occasion. He noted that the artwork was selected from 40 submissions by Kazakh citizens to the EU’s contest for the best Sustainable Energy Mural Design.
“Sustainable Energy for a Better Future” mural. Photo credit: SECCA Media.
According to the ambassador, the mural was chosen because of the ideas it embodies, serving “as a call that the future of our children depends on the choices we make today.”
“Opting for sustainable energy, cutting emissions, and protecting the environment are paramount for the health and happiness of all,” he said.
The mural depicts two joyful children, a boy and a girl, on the left side, with a vision of Astana’s future on the right. The blue sky and white birds represent clean air, while the small stars, reminiscent of those on the EU flag, symbolize aspirations and dreams for children. Solar panels and wind turbines signify the essential energy sources for this envisioned future.
Photo credit: SECCA Media.
Zhuldyz Serikova, the mural’s creator and the contest winner, revealed that the boy in the picture is her nephew, whereas the rest of the artwork represents her hopeful vision for the future, which, she believes, all children in Kazakhstan deserve.
Serikova and a representative from the school will participate in the SECCA study tour to Europe in November to gain insights into European practices in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
