Kyrgyzstan: Practicing democracy in summer camp | All media content | DW | 24.07.2019
  1. Inhalt
  2. Navigation
  3. Weitere Inhalte
  4. Metanavigation
  5. Suche
  6. Choose from 30 Languages

Europe/Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan: Practicing democracy in summer camp

How can you detect efforts to manipulate opinions? How do you organize free elections? Young people at a summer camp in Kyrgyzstan worked on these complex issues by learning through play.

  • More than 70 young people from all regions of Kyrgyzstan travelled to Issyk-Kul Lake for the Media Democracy Camp 2019. DW Akademie, the Kyrgyz Media Support Center Foundation, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the USAID Mission in Kyrgyzstan organized the camp together.

    Group picture at the lake

    More than 70 young people from all regions of Kyrgyzstan travelled to Issyk-Kul Lake for the Media Democracy Camp 2019. DW Akademie, the Kyrgyz Media Support Center Foundation, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the USAID Mission in Kyrgyzstan organized the camp together.

  • The aim of the summer camp was to teach young people critical thinking and to show them the importance of robust civic mindedness.

    Learning through play

    The aim of the summer camp was to teach young people critical thinking and to show them the importance of robust civic mindedness.

  • This was not a break; it was actually an exercise in focused learning. Many learning through play sessions were held in an open-air setting.

    Building something big together

    This was not a break; it was actually an exercise in focused learning. Many learning through play sessions were held in an open-air setting.

  • Some of the students saw Lake Issyk-Kul for the first time in their lives.

    A special journey

    Some of the students saw Lake Issyk-Kul for the first time in their lives.

  • The young people took part in intensive media training, which included practice in reporting. The students had the opportunity to produce their own videos in the multimedia studio of the Media Democracy Camp.

    What role do media play in democracy?

    The young people took part in intensive media training, which included practice in reporting. The students had the opportunity to produce their own videos in the multimedia studio of the Media Democracy Camp.

  • Myrzash Shabdanbekova, one of the trainers, talked about awareness when processing media content. Media and information literacy (MIL) was a key part of the camp's program.

    Media literacy is important for responsible citizens

    Myrzash Shabdanbekova, one of the trainers, talked about awareness when processing media content. Media and information literacy (MIL) was a key part of the camp's program.

  • A typical task was to describe one’s own media consumption. DW Akademie has been carrying out projects to foster media and information literacy (MIL) among young people in Kyrgyzstan for years. Together with the Kyrgyz Media Support Center, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science, and the Academy for Education, they have helped integrate MIL in the school curriculum of selected schools.

    What kind of media user am I?

    A typical task was to describe one’s own media consumption. DW Akademie has been carrying out projects to foster media and information literacy (MIL) among young people in Kyrgyzstan for years. Together with the Kyrgyz Media Support Center, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science, and the Academy for Education, they have helped integrate MIL in the school curriculum of selected schools.

  • One of the unique activities at Media Democracy Camp for the students was finding a creative way of presenting what they had learned. Their response was to put on a play about MIL.

    Cue for media literacy

    One of the unique activities at Media Democracy Camp for the students was finding a creative way of presenting what they had learned. Their response was to put on a play about MIL.

  • Every evening, the young participants summarized the most important and exciting happenings of the day on stage.

    Presenting to the group

    Every evening, the young participants summarized the most important and exciting happenings of the day on stage.

  • Another important part of the program was the election of the camp president. The young people prepared for this in training sessions and also did research on various electoral systems.

    This way to the ballot box

    Another important part of the program was the election of the camp president. The young people prepared for this in training sessions and also did research on various electoral systems.

  • The young people tried out new roles on election day – from election observer to presidential candidate.

    A simulated election

    The young people tried out new roles on election day – from election observer to presidential candidate.

  • At the Media Democracy Camp, the young participants developed their own ideas and projects to tackle current problems in their regions, e.g., a concept for a green city or a citizen initiative for rural areas.

    Becoming active citizens

    At the Media Democracy Camp, the young participants developed their own ideas and projects to tackle current problems in their regions, e.g., a concept for a green city or a citizen initiative for rural areas.

  • The young people celebrated togehter on the last day of the Media Demoracy Camp. They will be able to stay in touch through an alumni network that connects young people across the country.

    Closing ceremony

    The young people celebrated togehter on the last day of the Media Demoracy Camp. They will be able to stay in touch through an alumni network that connects young people across the country.


  • More than 70 young people from all regions of Kyrgyzstan travelled to Issyk-Kul Lake for the Media Democracy Camp 2019. DW Akademie, the Kyrgyz Media Support Center Foundation, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the USAID Mission in Kyrgyzstan organized the camp together.

    Group picture at the lake

    More than 70 young people from all regions of Kyrgyzstan travelled to Issyk-Kul Lake for the Media Democracy Camp 2019. DW Akademie, the Kyrgyz Media Support Center Foundation, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the USAID Mission in Kyrgyzstan organized the camp together.

  • The aim of the summer camp was to teach young people critical thinking and to show them the importance of robust civic mindedness.

    Learning through play

    The aim of the summer camp was to teach young people critical thinking and to show them the importance of robust civic mindedness.

  • This was not a break; it was actually an exercise in focused learning. Many learning through play sessions were held in an open-air setting.

    Building something big together

    This was not a break; it was actually an exercise in focused learning. Many learning through play sessions were held in an open-air setting.

  • Some of the students saw Lake Issyk-Kul for the first time in their lives.

    A special journey

    Some of the students saw Lake Issyk-Kul for the first time in their lives.

  • The young people took part in intensive media training, which included practice in reporting. The students had the opportunity to produce their own videos in the multimedia studio of the Media Democracy Camp.

    What role do media play in democracy?

    The young people took part in intensive media training, which included practice in reporting. The students had the opportunity to produce their own videos in the multimedia studio of the Media Democracy Camp.

  • Myrzash Shabdanbekova, one of the trainers, talked about awareness when processing media content. Media and information literacy (MIL) was a key part of the camp's program.

    Media literacy is important for responsible citizens

    Myrzash Shabdanbekova, one of the trainers, talked about awareness when processing media content. Media and information literacy (MIL) was a key part of the camp's program.

  • A typical task was to describe one’s own media consumption. DW Akademie has been carrying out projects to foster media and information literacy (MIL) among young people in Kyrgyzstan for years. Together with the Kyrgyz Media Support Center, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science, and the Academy for Education, they have helped integrate MIL in the school curriculum of selected schools.

    What kind of media user am I?

    A typical task was to describe one’s own media consumption. DW Akademie has been carrying out projects to foster media and information literacy (MIL) among young people in Kyrgyzstan for years. Together with the Kyrgyz Media Support Center, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education and Science, and the Academy for Education, they have helped integrate MIL in the school curriculum of selected schools.

  • One of the unique activities at Media Democracy Camp for the students was finding a creative way of presenting what they had learned. Their response was to put on a play about MIL.

    Cue for media literacy

    One of the unique activities at Media Democracy Camp for the students was finding a creative way of presenting what they had learned. Their response was to put on a play about MIL.

  • Every evening, the young participants summarized the most important and exciting happenings of the day on stage.

    Presenting to the group

    Every evening, the young participants summarized the most important and exciting happenings of the day on stage.

  • Another important part of the program was the election of the camp president. The young people prepared for this in training sessions and also did research on various electoral systems.

    This way to the ballot box

    Another important part of the program was the election of the camp president. The young people prepared for this in training sessions and also did research on various electoral systems.

  • The young people tried out new roles on election day – from election observer to presidential candidate.

    A simulated election

    The young people tried out new roles on election day – from election observer to presidential candidate.

  • At the Media Democracy Camp, the young participants developed their own ideas and projects to tackle current problems in their regions, e.g., a concept for a green city or a citizen initiative for rural areas.

    Becoming active citizens

    At the Media Democracy Camp, the young participants developed their own ideas and projects to tackle current problems in their regions, e.g., a concept for a green city or a citizen initiative for rural areas.

  • The young people celebrated togehter on the last day of the Media Demoracy Camp. They will be able to stay in touch through an alumni network that connects young people across the country.

    Closing ceremony

    The young people celebrated togehter on the last day of the Media Demoracy Camp. They will be able to stay in touch through an alumni network that connects young people across the country.