UNESCO Almaty, Snapshots (July – December 2025) | UNESCO

UNESCO Almaty, Snapshots (July – December 2025) | UNESCO
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UNESCO Almaty, Snapshots (July – December 2025)
UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty is happy to present you the summary of some main activities conducted by the Office in the 2nd half of the 2025.
UNESCO
22 January 2026
Last update:
26 January 2026
Empowering the Future of Digital Learning: UNESCO Initiated Regional Dialogue on Equitable, Ethical and Human-Centred Use of ICT and AI in Education
UNESCO Almaty organised the Symposium on ICT and AI in Education for Central Asia, Iran, and Pakistan (SIECAIP) from 28 to 30 October 2025 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The event brought together representatives of ministries of education, teachers, students, youth, and regional experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the digital transformation of education. Particular attention was given to the ethical, equitable, and human-centred use of ICT and AI, including issues of digital safety, human rights, and pedagogical support for teachers in the era of digital learning. T
he event was aligned with
UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
(2022),
the Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research
(2023),
the AI Competency Framework for Students
(2024),
the AI Competency Framework for Teachers
(2024), and recent
AI and the future of education: disruptions, dilemmas and directions report
(2025) offering guidance and ethical principles in using AI in education sector for Member States.
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UNESCO
Regional Roundtable on Groundwater: Strengthening Cooperation in Central Asia
In September 2025, UNESCO organized the regional roundtable “Groundwater for Sustainable Development: Strengthening Cooperation and Governance in Central Asia” in Almaty. The event brought together representatives from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as international partners. Despite the critical role of groundwater in regional water security, groundwater resources in Central Asia remain insufficiently studied and weakly regulated, with limited transboundary cooperation. The roundtable provided a platform for sharing national experiences, discussing priority aquifers, and developing ideas for joint initiatives to advance more sustainable groundwater management.
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UNESCO
Disaster Preparedness Capacities in Culture Sector Strengthened in Central Asia
From 25 to 29 August 2025, the UNESCO Almaty, conducted a five-day training workshop in line with the
International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property’s
(ICCROM) capacity-building programme FAR – First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis. The workshop was arranged for representatives of local and provincial museums and cultural departments across Central Asian countries to further reinforce regional capacity and promote resilience strategies for cultural heritage in the face of crises. During the workshop participants, using ICCROM-developed tools, built capacity in risk mitigation, structural testing, and damage and risk assessment through practical exercises aligned with the ISO-compliant First Aid for Cultural Heritage in Crisis methodology.
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UNESCO
Central Asia Unites to Advance Media and Information Literacy
On 30 October 2025, Almaty hosted the regional forum “MIL Bridge Central Asia: Regional Solutions for Global Challenges in Media and Information Literacy”, organized by
UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty
and
MediaNet International Center for Journalism
. The event was held in conjunction with the Global Media and Information Literacy Week, celebrated worldwide at the end of October each year. The forum brought together 35 experts, researchers, journalists, and media trainers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to exchange experiences, present national initiatives, and discuss ways to promote Media and information literacy (MIL) across the region.
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UNESCO
Supporting Expeditions that Provide New Data on Glacier Conditions
The GEF–UNDP–UNESCO Cryosphere Project continues to support glaciological expeditions across Central Asia to generate new data on glacier conditions and the impacts of climate change. In Tajikistan, a series of expeditions conducted by scientists from the Centre for the Research of Glaciers of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan and the University of Fribourg showed that the Yakarcha Glacier lost between 3.5 and 4 metres of ice thickness in the ablation zone over a two-year period. In Kazakhstan, research by the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre at the Tuyuksu Glacier recorded some of the highest glacier melt rates observed over the entire 2025 monitoring period, linked to exceptionally high summer air temperatures.
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Khusrav Kabutov
Strengthening Capacities in Urgent Safeguarding of Living Heritage in Central Asia
In October as part of UNESCO’s broader capacity-building initiative in Central Asia, the UNESCO Almaty conducted the three-day workshop as a part of initiative to enhance understanding and develop practical skills related to the mechanisms of the Urgent Safeguarding List (USL) within the
2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
. This event emphasized the need for urgent safeguarding measures for heritage at risk with special focus on carpet weaving. Within the workshop the participants also explored the synergies between living heritage, sustainable economic development, cultural tourism, and role of women and local knowledge holders in strengthening resilience and inclusive growth.
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UNESCO
Virtual Reality as a Tool for Climate Education
In November 2025, the GEF–UNDP–UNESCO Cryosphere Project presented the virtual reality experience “Glacier Lifelines” developed by the Zurich University of the Arts. VR experience immerses users in the mountain regions of Central Asia and visually demonstrates the role of glaciers and the impacts of climate change. The tool will be used as an educational and awareness-raising resource. Partner universities and research institutions in Central Asia now have the opportunity to integrate VR into educational programmes and outreach activities to increase awareness of climate change.
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UNESCO
Gender and Climate Change: A Youth Perspective
The UNESCO in Almaty
in cooperation with
CAPS Unlock
, a think tank specialising in policy studies in Central Asia, and the
Seraly Kaniyev Research Library of the Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University
organized the exhibition to highlight the gender and climate change issues. The exhibition brought together 15 works of young artists from Central Asia aged from 7 to 19 years old, selected from 435 applications as part of the ‘
Turn It Around! Central Asian Climate-Card Deck
’ project, a joint initiative of UNESCO and CAPS Unlock. The exhibition aims to draw attention to the impact of climate change and the role of women and girls in finding solutions.
The winning artworks were used in a teaching guide entitled ‘Gallery Tour: Climate and Us. Conversations about Climate and Gender,’ which will help teachers discuss climate change with their students from a gender perspective.
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UNESCO
GEF–UNDP–UNESCO Cryosphere Project Strengthens the Regional Glacier Monitoring System
The Cryosphere Project has expanded the geographic scope of its cryosphere component observations by increasing the number of observation sites. Thus, starting in 2025, the mass balance of the Bogdanovich Glacier in Kazakhstan has been monitored. The new data on mass balance, snow cover, and permafrost from all Central Asian countries will be utilized to support water resource forecasting and assess natural hazard risks. This effort is particularly important considering the accelerated changes occurring in glaciers across the region and the associated risks. For instance, in autumn 2025, a glacier collapse was recorded at the Dehdal Glacier in Tajikistan, occurring twice within several months. Such events underscore the need for continuous, systematic glacier monitoring. The further development of automated and remote monitoring systems, along with the enhancement of the role of cryosphere monitoring in national action plans for Central Asian countries, are key directions supported by the project.
Find out more here...
...and here
© UNESCO
GEF–UNDP–UNESCO Cryosphere Project Strengthens the Capacity of Young Specialists
The project continues to support the training of a new generation of cryosphere specialists in Central Asia. In August 2025, it supported the International Summer School on Snow, Ice and Water Resources Research in Kyrgyzstan, organized by the Tien Shan High Mountain Research Centre. More than 30 young specialists from Central Asian countries, as well as from Russia, Belgium, and Japan, received theoretical and practical training, including a field expedition to the Kara-Batkak Glacier. In November 2025, the project also organized a national training workshop on the “Cryosphere” module in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where representatives of scientific and educational institutions exchanged experience on glacier monitoring approaches and explored modern tools for glaciological research.
Find out more here...
...and here
Tien Shan High Mountain Research Centre
Trust-building for social cohesion in Kyrgyzstan
UNESCO Almaty and UNDP Kyrgyzstan are finalizing joint "Strengthening National Capacities for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding: Meaningful Civil Society Engagement for Trust-Building and Social Cohesion" project in Kyrgyzstan funded by United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. Within its framework, UNESCO recently presented Roadmap and Action Plan for preventing and countering hate speech in the online environment in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2025-2030, Media Literacy Guide for Civil Servants of the Kyrgyz Republic, Toolkit for developing civic competencies, promoting civic engagement and peacebuilding, and Strategic Communications Guide for Public Advisory Councils.
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UNESCO
Kazakhstan Takes an Important Step Towards Introducing Media and Information Literacy into the Country's Education System
In 2025, the
UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty
, in collaboration with the
National Academy of Education named after Y.Altynsarin
of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, carried out extensive preparatory work on the introduction of
Media and Information Literacy
(MIL) into the state compulsory education standard and secondary education curricula of the Republic of Kazakhstan. One of the main outcomes of this collaboration is the Methodological guide for teachers on the introduction of MIL, which provides methodological recommendations for teaching staff and specialists from educational organisations on the introduction of MIL into the secondary education curriculum in the Republic of Kazakhstan. These recommendations have been developed in accordance with the priorities of state education policy, UNESCO's international competency frameworks, and the requirements of the current and updated State Educational Standards for Secondary Education.
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National Academy of Education named after Ybyrai Altynsarin
Nationwide STEM Teacher Training in Tajikistan Empowers Educators in Competency-Based Education Reform
As part of the EU-funded project “
Strengthening Competency-Based and ICT-Enabled STEM and VET Education and Teacher Training in Tajikistan
,” UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republican In-service Teacher Training Institute (RITTI), conducted a comprehensive professional development training for 335 STEM teachers and methodologists from all regions of the country. The programme focused on equipping teachers with innovative instructional strategies, deepening their understanding of the competency-based approach, and strengthening their capacity to apply gender-responsive, ICT-integrated teaching in real classroom settings.
This workshop represents a significant step forward in Tajikistan’s education reform efforts. By empowering educators with new competencies, tools, and mindsets, the initiative helps bridge the gap between policy and practice—supporting the development of a modern, inclusive, and high-quality education system in Tajikistan.
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UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty
The GLOFCA project reduces landslide risks through agroforestry in Uzbekistan
In October 2025, the GLOFCA project planted 800 trees in two landslide-prone areas of the Pskem region – Ispai-Tepar and Khirabulak. As part of agroforestry adaptation measures, trees with deep root systems were selected to stabilize slopes, strengthen soil structure, and reduce erosion. The activity concluded with a tree-planting ceremony involving students from Schools No. 45 (Pskem) and No. 50 (Tepar), who had earlier participated in the project's disaster risk education activities, including
classroom sessions
and
field visits
to landslide zones and the Urungach Lakes. Engaging youth in understanding natural hazards is a key investment in long-term community resilience.
Find out more
UNESCO
UNESCO Brings Digital Peacebuilding to the Forefront at Yntymak Week 2025 in Kyrgyzstan
For the first time, UNESCO joined
Yntymak Week
(Peace Week) initiative in Kyrgyzstan bringing conversations about digital platforms governance, youth leadership, and online safety into Kyrgyzstan’s main peacebuilding forum. On 17–18 September 2025, more than 200 participants gathered in Bishkek to reflect on how social media and digital platforms shape social cohesion, inclusion, and peace. UNESCO’s key contribution during the Yntymak Week were two panel discussions that placed people — especially young people and women — at the center of digital governance debates. UNESCO’s participation reaffirmed a simple but powerful message: peacebuilding today must also happen online — with young people and women leading the way.
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UNESCO
Assisting strategic development of the museum sector in Kazakhstan
In December, UNESCO Almaty and
Almaty Museum of Arts
organized a roundtable with leading museums and government representatives of Kazakhstan to discuss the strategic development of the museum sector. The participants examined the current state of museums, key professional and technical challenges, prospects for international cooperation, and the role of museums in community engagement and sustainable development. The meeting resulted in the list of recommendations aimed at enhancing the educational and cultural impact of museums, adopting modern technologies, and strengthening the professional environment.
UNESCO
The GLOFCA project improves visitor safety in Ala-Archa National Park, Kyrgyzstan
The GLOFCA project installed mudflow safety information boards in Ala-Archa National Park, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most visited natural sites located near Bishkek. The park lies in a high-risk zone for mudflows and other natural hazards. The boards display evacuation routes and safe assembly points, helping improve safety for the more than 6,000 visitors who enter the park daily. These measures will be further strengthened by the installation of an early warning system, currently under preparation by the project.
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UNESCO
GEF–UNDP–UNESCO Project Advances the Development of a Subregional Joint Action Programme
In August 2025, the Cryosphere Project organized a subregional working meeting, marking an important step in the development of the Subregional Joint Action Programme (SJAP) and the National Action Plans (NAPs). These documents aim to address priority challenges related to cryosphere observations, monitoring, and research in Central Asia. Following the meeting, participating countries continued to refine their National Action Plans through technical consultations until the end of November 2025.
In Tajikistan,
this process was conducted at the official level through meetings of national working groups. In parallel, countries jointly further developed the Subregional Action Programme, with a statement expected to be presented at the Regional Ecological Summit in 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
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UNESCO
Kazakhstan issues commemorative postage stamp marking the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation
UNESCO supported the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp dedicated to the
International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation
. The initiative was implemented at the proposal of the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre, a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, in cooperation with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazpost. This is the second postage stamp worldwide dedicated to glacier preservation. The initiative underscores Kazakhstan's and Central Asia's contributions to global efforts to protect glaciers as vital sources of freshwater and archives of Earth’s climate history.
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