The key facts

  • The Yashil Uyim festival will be held in Bukhara for the first time on October 31 with financial support from the EU as part of Green Diplomacy Week
  • The programme includes a session on plastic waste, a discussion on the gender aspects of climate change, and children's and science zones
  • Collection points for batteries, used oil, paper, plastic bags and aluminium will operate on site

The first eco-festival in Bukhara

On October 31, the Yashil Uyim eco-festival will be held in Bukhara for the first time, with financial support from the European Union — the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan reported this to Gazeta. The event is organized as part of the Green Diplomacy Week campaign, which aims to raise environmental awareness, support climate initiatives and promote sustainable development; it brings together local communities, civil society, youth and other partners. The stated goal of the festival itself is to introduce participants to ways of protecting the environment and help them adopt eco-friendly habits in everyday life.

Programme and venues

The festival will take place on the grounds of the Plove restaurant (Tagbandbofon-3 street). The main venue for adults and young people will open at 12:00 with a DJ set and a prize draw. At 13:00, sign language specialist Ezozakhon Akhmedova will hold an introductory session on inclusive communication, followed by the team game 'The City of Our Dreams'. At 15:00, environmental activist, festival initiator and organizer Mutabar Khushvaktova will lead an interactive session titled 'Plastic — Is It a Problem?' on plastic waste management. In parallel, journalist and documentary filmmaker Shahzoda Mirakova, who took part in the EU Youth Sounding Board in 2023, will host a discussion in English titled 'Ecofeminism: Does climate change affect men and women equally?'

Children's and science zones, and recyclables collection

The children's zone will feature science experiments, a robotics class and games that develop neuromotor skills; parents will be able to get advice on how to prepare their child for school without stress. From 13:00 to 16:00, a science zone and a fair of eco-friendly goods will be open, along with a book swap and chess. Special collection points will accept used batteries, used cooking oil, paper, plastic bags and aluminium — according to the organizers, this is meant to draw attention to waste separation, recycling and responsible use of resources.