The best youth eco-initiatives were presented at the National Festival "SUSTAINABLE PATH"

The final of the National Festival of environmental ideas and projects within the framework of the National Social Eco-campaign “SUSTAINABLE PATH” was held in Almaty on 23 August 2023.

“Sustainable path” is an educational initiative aimed at nurturing the younger generation of a mindful attitude to their native land through the inculcation of cultural, moral and environmental values. This program is the fourth cycle and a logical continuation of previously successfully implemented programs.

The main goal of the Festival organized by the Kazakhstan National Federation of Clubs for UNESCO in collaboration with the Association of Business Women with the support of the Akimat of Almaty, is to identify the best innovative eco-projects and startups among the youth aged 16 to 35 years in order to further finance and implement them on the territory of Kazakhstan.

Out of over 300 applications, 10 teams were selected, which underwent online training with the experts. The finalists arrived at the culminating phase of the project, aiming to compete for the prize fund in the total amount of 10 million tenge. During the competition, the team captains were given the opportunity to present their ideas to the jury members, proving that they were deserving of victory and subsequent support.

Based on the results of the evaluation by the experts, the winners were determined as follows: The project WECUBE, with its unique concept for developing a modular wind turbine, rightfully claimed the first place and was awarded a grant of 5 million tenge. The second place went to the SHABYT project, presenting an innovative idea for implementing advanced technologies in effective firefighting, with the team receiving a grant of 3 million tenge. The SMART TRASH BIN project took third place and won a grant in the amount of 2 million tenge, the winners plan to sort garbage in Kazakhstan with the help of artificial intelligence.

Based on the successful experience of the past years, the organizers are confident that this project is able to really contribute to the achievement of the UN global Sustainable Development Goals, while supporting different categories of residents of Kazakhstan – from children and youth to active entrepreneurs. This project stands as an integral part of the country's endeavor to enhance its environmental conditions and make strides toward a greener future.