Tajikistan

The main event was a seminar on Biodiversity and Climate Change, organized by the National Biodiversity and Biosafety Centre (NBBC) of Tajikistan. Participants in the seminar included the National Coordinators for the CBD, UNFCCC and other conventions, ministers and government representatives, scientists and researchers, consultants from the World Bank, UNDP, universities and NGOs. The chairman of the seminar was Mr. Safarov, CBD and CPB National Focal Point and Head of the NBBC. During the seminar the CBD Climate Change and Biodiversity video was shown, and an exhibition of publications and photos on Tajikistan’s biodiversity was organized.

On 13 May, the group “Geo-ecology” of the Children’s Youth Centre organized a Children’s Conference on Biodiversity in recognition of IBD. The conference was held under the framework of the programme, “Environment for the Future Generation,” dedicated to the theme of Biodiversity Conservation according to the Red Book of Planet Earth. In the conference, students were asked to role-play and deliver messages on behalf of the species listed in the Red Book. The best performances were awarded prizes.

The NBBC supported the organization of a scientific conference for students involving the biology students of the Tajik State National University. The students presented reports on Tajikistan’s flora and valuable biodiversity.

Several activities were organized within the framework of the World Bank project, “Biodiversity Conservation of the Dashtidghum Nature Reserve.” The activities included:

• At the regional level, teachers gave “open-house” ecology lessons, and the best lesson was awarded a prize.
• An inter-school “Olympics” on biology was held in the Khatlon region.
• Schools in Dashtidghum participated in the contest, “Nature’s Play and Fancy.” At the end of the contest, selected exhibits were displayed at the local Museum of Nature.
• Movies on environmental protection were shown in schools of the Khatlon region.
• Foresters of the nature reserve received training in biodiversity monitoring.

The main event in the Khatlon region was a roundtable discussion on IBD, organized by the city of Kulyab, the Kulyab Area Inspection for Environmental Protection, with the support of the NBBC. Leaders of environmental agencies, representatives of the young ecologist movement, “Green Patrol,” mass media and local authorities participated in the discussion. Issues covered included: information on the CBD and its ratification by Tajikistan, the state of the country’s biodiversity, and measures taken by government and local authorities to conserve and protect biodiversity. The roundtable was followed by an excursion to the Botanical Gardens of Kulyab City.

More...