14 July, 2011 — UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in cooperation with NGO Social Initiatives Support Fund (SISF) conductedone-day Youth Action on Healthy Lifestyle at annual Summer Camp organized by «Kelajak Ovozi» in Kashkadarya region.

Youth Summer Camp is organized annually by «Kelajak Ovozi» Centre for Youth Initiatives at beautiful mountainous resort near Kitab in Kashkadarya region. Young activists fr om all over Uzbekistan come to this three weeks-long camp, and this year their number reached 500 people.

UNFPA Country Office in Uzbekistan has been supporting organization of this event for more than three years. In partnership with other UN Agencies and international organizations, UNFPA has been organizing sessions and presentations on the issues of healthy lifestyle, reproductive health, youth programmes and others.

This year, UNFPA joined hands with Social Initiatives Support Fund to organize one-day youth action at the camp on July 14, 2011. The action, organized in the form of small sport contests and quizzes, covered the topics of healthy lifestyle, in particular, prevention of HIV/AIDS and STIs, reproductive health and gender equality. In addition, quizzes included questions on the issues of population and development, to highlight the World Population Day, a flagship observance celebrated by UNFPA on 11 July, and launching of «The World at 7 Billion» campaign.

More than 200 young people participated in youth action. Seven «quiz spots» were organized on camp territory, wh ere volunteers of SISF and Youth-Peer Network tested participants’ knowledge on above-mentioned topics, and conducted short informational sessions. Quiz winners received souvenirs from organizers.

In addition, awarding ceremony of youth creative contest was held. A contest, announced by UNFPA three days earlier, welcomed various submissions from the camp’s units, including short videos, photographs, collages, drawings, small projects and initiatives, as well as essays, covering the issues of healthy lifestyle. As a result, more than thirty submissions in various forms were received and a few best ones awarded by organizers.

Participants were briefed on this year’s celebration of World Population Day, as well as the global launching of «The World at 7 Billion» campaign. Young people were encouraged to participate in the campaign, through registering at the campaign’s website, and spreading the word through social network channels.