Project meeting in Tajikistan

The peculiarity of the “Water Harmony Eurasia-II” project is a unique opportunity to have regular meetings of all team members. This time, its hospitality shared sunny Tajikistan, where from the 29th of September until the 4th of October 2017 the fourth working meeting was held.

Besides the hosts, Mining-metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan (Chkalovsk) and Tajik Technical University, (Dushanbe), the project was represented by partner universities from Belarus, Kasachstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Norway and Ukraine.

The first official meeting of participants and associate members of the project was held at the Mining-metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan in the city of Buston (Chkalovsk). Welcoming words were made by the rector of the Institute -Fozilzoda Mukhtor Murodali  and then the main specialist of the Committee for Environmental Protection of the Sughd Region and after specialist of The Melioration and Irrigation Committee of the Sughd Region gave a speeches and shared their problems and achievements. The main issue of involving state organizations in the higher education processes was discussed within this brief but fruitful meeting.

Then the project meeting participants visited the audiences, where laboratory courses were conducted and visited the institute’s laboratory with a new atomic absorption spectrometer.

At working meetings in Khujand were discussed issues of double degrees, involving partners in scientific work and joint publications, ensuring the quality of education/students survey, etc. Working moments were harmoniously mixed with pleasant minutes of acquaintance with the Republic of Tajikistan.

It should be noted that Tajikistan is an original region of the terrific natural contrasts, 93% of its entire territory is occupied by mountains considered to be the most beautiful in Central Asia. A “white gold”, “wood wool” – cotton is the main wealth of Central Asia and now in the south of Tajikistan it is cotton harvesting.

After a long crossing through the mountains, the project participants had another official meeting at the Tajik Technical University named after M. Osimi in Dushanbe.

The meetings traditionally contains a scientific seminar. This time it was held in The National Patent Informational Center with the participation of the state environmental authorities of Tajikistan and Dushanbe. The participants discussed problems and prospects of the water sector development, issues of rivers water quality management, research and innovation in the field of water supply and wastewater management, as well as the important issue of training specialists in the field of water treatment.

Apart from the intensive work program, the Tajik colleagues managed to organize a rich cultural program for the meeting participants with a visit to the Arbob (Khujand) museum-palace, the Hissar fortress and the historical-ethnographic museum (Dushanbe), as well as taking part cotton harvesting in the amazing fields of this fertile land.

The project members have become true friends and a united team and will soon meet again. Next time guests will be hosted by the colleagues from the Republic of Moldova – Technical University of Moldova.

Tetiana Solodovnik, solodovniktetana@gmail.com
Olena Hruzdieva, lenavg@ua.fm
Serhii Shmyhol, sergioshyhol@gmail.com