Students at Uzhhorod National University are getting involved in environmental initiatives organised by ‘Let’s Do It, Ukraine!’
The All-Ukrainian Forum on Cooperation and Development was held recently in the small conference room of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration. The event was organised by the environmental NGO ‘Let’s do it, Ukraine!’, whose members include students from Uzhhorod National University.
The frum was held with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine. Lyudmyla Osypchuk, coordinator of the national team, gave a welcoming speech: “I am delighted to be in Uzhhorod for the first time. As we know, the issue of waste is extremely pressing at the moment. This forum is part of the strategy to tackle litter. Our aim is to instil an environmental culture in the population.”
Ivan Zburyn, regional coordinator of the environmental movement and a third-year student at the Faculty of Chemistry, remarked: “The forum is another step on the path to cleaning up the environment. We aim to promote the volunteer movement and teach proper waste disposal. To achieve results, we need to involve representatives of various organisations, government agencies, and students and schoolchildren.”
Svitlana Lukach, coordinator of the student self-government in Zakarpattia Oblast and head of the communications department at ‘Padiun’, spoke about the involvement of schoolchildren in the environmental movement. The initiative to make Ukraine cleaner was also supported by the Student Council of UzhNU.
In Transcarpathia, activists from the NGOs ‘FRI’, ‘United Students’ and the ‘European Law Students’ Association Ukraine’ (ELSA Ukraine) have joined the eco-project. The main event – a large-scale clean-up campaign ‘Let’s Make Ukraine Clean Together!’ – will take place on 29 April 2017. In addition, environmental protection will be taught through themed discussions and round-table talks, and the all-Ukrainian environmental festival ‘ChystoFest’ will be held. Plans include the first summer camp and the development of a mobile app dedicated to waste collection points.
The organisers are calling on concerned citizens to take an active part in future events, changing the environment for the better!
Olga Brailyan,
photo by Serhiy Kharuk
