Shaping the Next Generation: Science Expeditions in Central Asia

This August, UNESCO played a pivotal role in fostering scientific engagement among young people across Central Asia through two initiatives. These summer schools empowered participants with hands-on experience in geological sciences and climate change, equipping them to better understand and address the region's environmental challenges.

Kokomeren Summer School on Rockslides

From August 10-25, the Summer School took place in the Kokomeren River basin in Kyrgyzstan, bringing together 16 students and landslide researchers from Central Asia and Europe. It allowed participants to deepen their understanding of the geological and tectonic processes shaping the region.

Supported by the UNESCO Almaty Regional Office, the summer school explored various rockslides and avalanches, focusing on their internal structures and motion mechanisms. Participants from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and several European countries visited notable geological sites, including the Late Pleistocene Sarysu rock avalanche and the Snake-Head rock avalanche in the Karakol Valley.

The program culminated with a visit to a massive Displaced Peneplain rock avalanche that had blocked the Kokomeren River valley, forcing the river to carve out a new bypass valley. These field visits allowed participants to witness the impact of rockslides and other geological events on the landscape firsthand. The program also offered cultural exchanges, allowing participants to experience the traditional lifestyle of local farmers.

The Kokomeren Summer School, established in 2006, is a collaborative initiative between JSC "Hydroproject Institute," a member of the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), and the Institute of Seismology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Participants visited the Teskei and Madygen geoparks to learn about the region's geological characteristics, the importance of geoheritage and water resource preservation, and how climate change affects these resources in Central Asia. Guided by scientists from Central Asia and Europe they gained hands-on experience in geological fieldwork, paleontological excavations, and geomapping with drones. Special focus was given to the Madygen formation, a renowned lagerstätte with exceptionally preserved Mesozoic land plants and over 25,000 insects.

Organized by the Tien Shan Geological Society, the Institute of Geology under the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, and the Kyrgyz Mining and Metallurgical Institute, with support from UNESCO Almaty Regional Office, the expedition concluded with participants receiving certificates.

These expeditions represent UNESCO and its partners' commitment to equip the next generation of Central Asian scientists with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to address the environmental challenges facing their region.