Main Achievements and Further Steps to Integrate ESD in the Education Systems of Central Asia presented in Kyrgyzstan

On 16 June 2023 UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and Agency for Quality Assurance in Education "EdNet" held in the scientific library of the Kyrgyz State University named after I. Arabayev the final event – "Integration of Education for Sustainable Development in the Educational System of Central Asia: Main Achievements and Further Development Steps" conference within the "Quality Education for Sustainable Development through ICT approaches in Central Asia" project funded by the Republic of Estonia.

The aim of the event was to present the main results of the project for the development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the Kyrgyz Republic, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic with the support of UNESCO. The event brought together the main achievements of four years of ESD integration into education at school and university levels.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Ms. Ashymbaeva Toktobubu, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Toomas Tiers, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, and Mr Nurbek Teleshaliyev, UNESCO Almaty Education Specialist.

Participants' presentations included the key achievements of the four-year UNESCO ESD initiative funded by Estonia in Kyrgyzstan "ESD Modules for Schools", the results of the "Best Practices Competition in the Field of ESD Integration", "Integrating ESD into University Education Teacher Training Programmes", and "Key Achievements in the Field of ESD Implementation in Kazakhstan.

In addition, all participants discussed in panel discussions the prospects for further development of ESD in Central Asia. At the end of the discussion, participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan discussed possible ways of regional cooperation for further promotion of ESD and identified key areas at the country, school and teacher levels. Participants agreed to continue working together and to create a regional ESD alliance.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, international organizations, universities, schools, as well as experts and project partners participated in the event.