"My Voice Matters!" Forum Theater and Puppet Theater Contest
REGULATIONS
on holding the forum theater and puppet theater contest
"My Voice Matters!"
💡 Contest Motto:
"Every child has the right to be heard!"
1. General Provisions
The forum theater and puppet theater contest "My Voice Matters!" is held within the framework of the "Children's Voices" project and is dedicated to World Children's Day, celebrated annually on November 20 to mark the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The contest aims to raise children's awareness of their rights, develop creative abilities, promote a culture of non-violence, mutual respect, equality, and encourage active child participation in the life of schools, kindergartens, and local communities.
2. Goal of the Contest
Creating conditions for children's creative self-expression through theater arts, as well as promoting the protection of children's rights, building a safe environment, and fostering children's active participation in educational organizations and community life.
3. Objectives of the Contest
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Raising children's awareness of children's rights;
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Developing communication, cooperation, and teamwork skills;
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Fostering a respectful attitude toward others;
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Preventing violence, bullying, and discrimination;
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Developing children's creative and leadership skills;
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Drawing public attention to child protection issues.
4. Contest Participants
4.1. Forum Theater Contest
Students of general education schools located in Kok-Chu CDP, Bolot Mambetov CDP, Bel-Aldy CDP, and Zhapalak CDP take part in the contest.
Participating Schools:
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Secondary General School No. 34 named after Ch. Tuleberdiev;
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Secondary General School No. 35 named after Atabaev;
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Secondary General School No. 30 named after A. Aliev;
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Secondary General School No. 45 named after M. Myrzaev (Osh city);
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Secondary General School No. 48;
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Secondary General School No. 68;
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Nizhne-Chuy Secondary School named after Iskhak Razzakov;
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Nizhne-Chuy Secondary School named after Absamat Masaliev;
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Secondary School named after Aaly Tokombaev;
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Secondary School named after B. Mambetov;
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Secondary School named after A. Kolbaev;
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Secondary School named after Zhusup Turusbekov;
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Secondary School named after K. Tilekov;
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Secondary School named after Zhuma Zhamgyrchiev;
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Secondary School named after M. Dogdurov (Ton district);
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Secondary School named after Tailakov (Ton district);
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Secondary General School No. 18 named after Kubatbek Chokoev;
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Secondary General School No. 22 named after Mukash Zhamgyrkanov;
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Secondary General School No. 30 named after Kulmanbet Toktoraliev;
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Secondary General School No. 29 named after Muktar Nurgaziev;
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Secondary General School No. 34 named after Salaev;
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Secondary General School No. 32 named after Beknazar;
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Secondary General School No. 33 named after Artykbaev;
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Secondary General School No. 21 named after Y. Alymbekov;
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Secondary General School No. 19 named after Toktonaaly Ashyraliev;
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Secondary School named after Abdymanap Mamyrov;
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Secondary School No. 20 named after T. Zhundubaev.
4.2. Puppet Theater Contest
Children enrolled in preschool educational organizations take part in the contest.
Participating Preschool Organizations:
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Kindergarten "Zhetkinchek";
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Kindergarten named after "Nariste";
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Kindergarten No. 10;
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Kindergarten named after Zhusup Turusbekov;
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Three-hour Kindergarten named after Zh. Zhamgyrchiev;
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Kindergarten No. 7;
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Kindergarten No. 12 named after Zhunushov Zholdoshbek;
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Three-hour Kindergarten "Bolot Mambetov";
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Kindergarten No. 5;
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Short-stay Kindergarten at the school named after Mukash Zhamgyrkanov;
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Kindergarten "Ak-Shoola";
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Kindergarten "Nur";
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Preschool Educational Organization No. 7 "Zhyldyz";
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Kindergarten No. 15 "Satymbu apa";
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Kindergarten No. 21 "Balastan";
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Preschool Educational Organization No. 4 "Chabalekey";
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Kindergarten No. 17 "Baktykan apa";
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Kindergarten No. 14 "Dilde ayym";
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Kindergarten No. 84 "Yntymak";
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Kindergarten No. 60 "Archa-Beshik".
5. Topics of Performances
Forum Theaters:
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Children's rights;
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Right to be heard;
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Prevention of violence and bullying;
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Safe school environment;
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Friendship, respect, and mutual aid;
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Children's participation in decision-making;
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Equality and tolerance;
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Protection of children's rights.
Puppet Theaters:
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Happy childhood;
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Friendship and kindness;
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Care and respect;
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Child safety;
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Mutual help and support;
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Child's right to love, care, and protection.
6. Requirements for Performance Submissions
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Performance duration must not exceed 15 minutes;
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The performance must correspond to the contest topics;
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Use of musical accompaniment, costumes, scenery, and props is allowed;
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Participation must be collective (team-based);
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Performance content must be age-appropriate for participants;
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The theatrical performance must promote children's rights, a culture of respect, and non-violent behavior;
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Deadline: November 25, 2026.
Mandatory Condition for Participation: Each team must provide a high-quality video recording of their performance (horizontal orientation, clear video image, and clear audio).
📞 To submit an application, please contact: +996 550 039 394
Submitted video materials may be used by the organizers for demonstration at the "Menin ünum – menin kelechegim" festival, as well as in information, presentation, and reporting materials for the "Children's Voices" project.
7. Evaluation Criteria
Contest entries are evaluated according to the following criteria:
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Criterion |
Maximum Score |
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Relevance to the contest theme |
20 |
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Expression of idea and content |
20 |
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Acting skills |
20 |
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Creative approach and originality |
20 |
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Teamwork and stage presence |
20 |
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Total |
100 |
8. Procedure for Summing Up Results
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Evaluation of contest performances is carried out by a jury appointed by the organizers.
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Based on the results, the following will be determined:
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best theatrical performances;
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best acting ensembles;
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best individual acting performances;
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winners and runner-ups in specific nominations.
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Organizers reserve the right to establish additional nominations.
9. Awarding
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Contest winners and runner-ups will be awarded:
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diplomas;
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commemorative gifts;
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valuable prizes.
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As part of the "Menin ünum – menin kelechegim" festival, the organizers will select the best performances for live presentation on stage.
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Top creative groups and individual participants will be recognized with special prizes and diplomas.
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Participants' creative works may be presented at the festival and used in project information materials.
10. Final Provisions
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By submitting contest materials, participants and their legal representatives confirm their consent to photo and video recording, as well as the use of submitted materials by the organizers within the "Children's Voices" project for information, educational, and reporting purposes, respecting children's rights and with mandatory attribution of authorship.
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The contest organizers reserve the right to make changes and additions to these Regulations, notifying participants in a timely manner.
On August 25, 2026, a practical seminar titled "Organization of Healthy Nutrition in Schools" was held at the K. Chokoev School in Kotormo village. The event was organized by Good Neighbors Kyrgyz Republic as part of the "Green Schools for Healthy Nutrition" project.
School principals from Uch-Terek and Bel-Aldy rural areas gathered to study successful experiences in establishing school-adjacent farming: from growing apples, vegetables, and even bananas and lemons, to harvesting twice a season and building a specialized cellar for food storage.
Interview with a seminar participant:
Sharipova Jazgul Uchbaevna, Principal of the Mukash Zhamgyrkanov School, shared her impressions of the visit and plans for developing her school ground:
"Today we took part in the seminar and were greatly impressed. Our school has previously attempted to implement the Garden project for planting an apple orchard: we prepared suitable plots, submitted soil analysis results, and filed all necessary documents on time. This seminar inspired us once again! We will make every effort to establish our own apple orchard and a fully functioning school farm, and we also greatly count on your support in implementing this initiative."
School-adjacent farming is an effective and accessible tool that helps provide children with fresh produce, enrich daily hot meals, and strengthen the health of the younger generation!
Instagram video
On August 28, in Bishkek, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Good Neighbors Kyrgyz Republic held a practical workshop on WASH standards for schools.
The key highlight of the event was the presentation of a practical handbook on implementing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene standards in educational institutions to school principals.
What does the WASH framework in schools include?
🔹 Access to safe drinking water and quality sanitation facilities.
🔹 Convenient handwashing stations and adherence to food hygiene rules.
🔹 Creating an inclusive, accessible, and comfortable environment for all children, including children with disabilities.
During the workshop, representatives of schools participating in the school feeding project discussed the work of school health committees and methods for developing healthy habits among students.
📍 What's next? Later this week, a similar workshop will be held in Osh for representatives of schools from the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan!
Together, we are creating a safe and healthy environment for the future generation!
On August 25, 2026, Good Neighbors Kyrgyz Republic organized a practical experience-sharing workshop on "Organization of Healthy Nutrition in Schools" at K. Chokoev School in Kotormo village under the "Green Schools for Healthy Nutrition" project. School principals from the Uch-Terek and Bel-Aldy areas participated in the event.
The primary goal of the workshop was to demonstrate how the effective use of school grounds allows for growing fresh fruits and vegetables for the school cafeteria, thereby enriching students' daily diets with nutritious hot meals. 🍲🍛
During the field visit, the team of K. Chokoev School shared their unique experience:
- Crop diversity: apples, cucumbers, potatoes, strawberries, as well as lemons and bananas are successfully grown on the school grounds.
- High yield: the school harvests crops twice per season.
- Reliable storage: participants were shown a self-constructed basement storage facility that keeps the produce fresh throughout the entire school year.
Participants showed great interest in the practical details, discussing irrigation, crop cultivation, food storage, and adapting these approaches in their own schools. In addition, the school leaders addressed key challenges of mountainous regions, particularly the short agricultural season and limited access to irrigation water.
The workshop served as clear proof that school-based farming is an accessible and effective tool for enhancing hot meal programs and improving children's health. 💚