From 10 to 16 August 2026, more than 40 participants including 33 high school students (18 girls and 15 boys) and eight teachers (6 women and 2 men) from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan gathered in Guliston, Sughd Region, for the regional environmental summer camp "Our Green House". The camp was organised by the OSCE in partnership with the Public Organization "Youth Group on Protection of Environment" (YGPE) / Aarhus Centre in Khujand. The camp brought together representatives of "Green Patrols" - youth environmental initiative groups working to raise environmental awareness and encourage practical action in schools and communities.
The regional summer camp was organized within the framework of the European Union-funded project "Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia - Phase III", implemented by the OSCE and the United Nations Development Programme in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It provided an educational and practical platform for young people to exchange experiences, strengthen environmental leadership and develop initiatives for their communities.
Over six days, participants took part in interactive learning, team-building and practical activities covering water pollution, climate change, environmental protection and sustainable development. A dedicated "Water Day" explored how water becomes polluted, followed by an environmental clean-up action along the Kayrakkum Reservoir.
"What I enjoyed most was when the whole camp went together to the Bahri Tojik Reservoir and took part in a clean-up action along the shore," said Ruslan Juraev, a participant from Kyrgyzstan.
The camp also gave participants opportunities to explore environmental challenges from a regional perspective. Through discussions, creative workshops and a climate quest, young people identified environmental issues shared across Central Asia and explored how regional co-operation can help address them.
"I believe that camps like this help children become more responsible, active and mindful of the world around them, while gaining new knowledge, valuable experience and good memories," said Barno Egamova, a teacher-participant from Tajikistan.
The programme placed a strong emphasis on turning learning into concrete initiatives. Participants worked in teams to develop a joint action plan for "Green Patrols", identify priority areas for co-operation and prepare presentations of their proposed initiatives. This practical approach is intended to help participants take the knowledge and skills gained at the camp back to their schools and communities.
"I really enjoyed meeting young people from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and hearing about what they are doing for the environment in their schools. I'm going home with lots of new ideas and, honestly, even more motivation to do something useful in my own community," said Ermatova Okila Abduzhalil-qizi, a participant from Uzbekistan.
By supporting young people to learn, collaborate and act together, the initiative demonstrates the OSCE's commitment to meaningful youth engagement in addressing environmental challenges across Central Asia. It also contributes to stronger cross-border networks of young environmental leaders who can continue promoting environmental awareness and practical solutions in their schools and communities.
