Next week fourth-grade students from four schools in Kyrgyzstan will take part in a unique educational project called the Green Discovery Marathon. The initiative is dedicated to World Food Day, which this year carries the theme Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.
Instead of dull classroom lectures, children will embark on a two-week hands-on adventure, tracing the journey of food “from garden to plate.” They will explore the secrets of healthy soil, plant seeds and seedlings with their own hands, learn how to care for sprouts, and discover how our everyday habits affect nature.
The marathon will conclude with a vibrant From Garden to Plate Festival, featuring quests, a theatrical performance, and the creation of a collective art piece titled The Green Planet.
Around the world, food systems face serious challenges. The marathon aims to show children that even small actions, such as respecting food, saving water, or caring for the soil, can make a huge difference. Through play and teamwork, they will learn that the future health and abundance of our planet depends on us.
What’s in store for the children?
Organizers are confident that the Green Discovery Marathon will give children not only unforgettable memories, but also a foundation for responsible attitudes toward food and natural resources that will stay with them for life.
The event will take place from October 13–23, 2025, at:
The Green Discovery Marathon is more than a series of lessons. It is an investment in the future. By planting their first seed and making a personal promise to the planet, children will not only learn the true value of food but will also understand how to become real guardians of nature. Initiatives like this, beginning right in the schoolyard, lay the foundation for a sustainable and healthy future for all of Kyrgyzstan.
Instead of dull classroom lectures, children will embark on a two-week hands-on adventure, tracing the journey of food “from garden to plate.” They will explore the secrets of healthy soil, plant seeds and seedlings with their own hands, learn how to care for sprouts, and discover how our everyday habits affect nature.
The marathon will conclude with a vibrant From Garden to Plate Festival, featuring quests, a theatrical performance, and the creation of a collective art piece titled The Green Planet.
Around the world, food systems face serious challenges. The marathon aims to show children that even small actions, such as respecting food, saving water, or caring for the soil, can make a huge difference. Through play and teamwork, they will learn that the future health and abundance of our planet depends on us.
What’s in store for the children?
- Practice instead of theory: Schoolchildren will become “soil doctors,” conduct experiments, plant their own mini-gardens, and care for them daily.
- Challenge format: Each day brings a new task that reveals a stage in the growth of plants.
- Team spirit: Group work will teach children to make decisions together and share responsibility for the outcome.
- Exciting finals: Teams will take on interactive quests at stations such as Nature’s Filter and Seed Workshop,where they will showcase their newly acquired knowledge and skills.
Organizers are confident that the Green Discovery Marathon will give children not only unforgettable memories, but also a foundation for responsible attitudes toward food and natural resources that will stay with them for life.
The event will take place from October 13–23, 2025, at:
- Y. Kozhomkulov Secondary School (Chui Province, Panfilov District)
- Ch. Aitmatov Secondary School No. 69 (Osh Province, Kara-Suu District)
- M. Nurgaziev Secondary School No. 29 (Jalal-Abad Province, Toktogul District)
- Eshenaly uulu Seyitbek Secondary School (Talas Province, Aitmatov District)
The Green Discovery Marathon is more than a series of lessons. It is an investment in the future. By planting their first seed and making a personal promise to the planet, children will not only learn the true value of food but will also understand how to become real guardians of nature. Initiatives like this, beginning right in the schoolyard, lay the foundation for a sustainable and healthy future for all of Kyrgyzstan.