EcoWeek 2013 kicks off in Uzbekistan

The opening ceremony of the national large-scale environmental campaign was attended by representatives of ministries, departments, diplomatic corps members, representatives of international organisations accredited in Uzbekistan, artists and journalists. The event featured the presentation of initiatives undertaken by the UN and its national partners in order to achieve environmental sustainability in Uzbekistan.

Welcoming speeches at the ceremony were made by the member of the Committee on Agriculture, Water Resources and Ecology of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Holmurod Karimov, the Chairman of the State Committee for Nature Protection and the National Coordinator of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Mr. Nariman Umarov, and the Permanent UN Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan Mr. Stefan Priesner.

An important part of the first day was a launch of the National Report on the State of the Environment and Natural Resources in the Republic of Uzbekistan, which was presented by the main specialist of the General Directorate of Economics and Natural Resources of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ms. Gulshen Bensitova.

The opening event also featured a large exhibition showcasing the projects of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the UN, with materials presenting the work undertaken in Uzbekistan to ensure the nation’s environmental sustainability.

In the second half of the day, the Radisson Blu hotel hosted a conference in recognition of the fifth anniversary of the Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility in Uzbekistan (GEF SGP). The technologies and results of various GEF SGP projects was presented to farmers, entrepreneurs, representatives of ministries and departments, members of the diplomatic corps and international organisations, and journalists.

The EcoWeek 2013 organisers include the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Nature Protection, the UN Office in Uzbekistan, the Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF SGP), and the Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).