Students from over 40 colleges in Astana and the North Kazakhstan region participated in an eco-hour on water conservation, titled "Save Water – Save the Future!"

The Astana City Akimat's Technological College held an environmental hour on water conservation, titled "Save Water – Save the Future!", as part of the state educational program "Adal Azamat." The event was attended by UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Waviernia and First Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurlan Aldamzharov.

The speakers told the students about the importance of water, methods for saving it in everyday life and across economic sectors, the Ministry's efforts to develop the water sector and train qualified personnel, and projects implemented in Kazakhstan with UNDP participation to ensure effective water resource management.

In particular, the UNDP Resident Representative noted the importance of the upcoming Regional Environmental Summit, which will be held in Astana from April 22 to 24.

"The upcoming summit is a very high-level event, attended by the heads of state of Central Asia, demonstrating the importance of environmental issues in the region. The summit will bring together global experts and best practices. Many important issues will be discussed, including water. Water resources are a transboundary issue. Therefore, the Regional Summit will be an excellent opportunity for participating countries to discuss the latest technologies and methodologies. We are living in a period of digitalization, so digitalization will be a key topic on the agenda," Katarzyna Wawiernia emphasized.

The Regional Environmental Summit is an international event aimed at uniting Central Asian and other countries to address pressing environmental issues, including climate change, sustainable management of natural resources, and others. The Summit is expected to attract 1,500 delegates, including representatives of international organizations, business, and science. The initiative to hold the Summit in partnership with the UN was announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in 2023.

A discussion followed, during which the UNDP Resident Representative and specialists from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation answered students' questions regarding the implementation of water-saving technologies and the digitalization of the industry.

The event was attended by 125 students from the Astana Akimat's College of Technology. Students from 26 colleges in the capital and 19 colleges in the North Kazakhstan region joined the event remotely.

Students from the College of Technology also presented their projects demonstrating the application of water-saving technologies in engineering specialties. The guests were introduced to the capabilities of unique laboratory equipment aimed at developing the specialized competencies of future hydraulic engineers.

It should be noted that in 2025, the educational institution received a license to train hydraulic engineers under the dual education system.