On September 21, 2025, the faculty and students of the Uzbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University (OKPU) actively participated in a city-wide cleanup event held as part of World Cleanup Day . This noble event was an important initiative aimed at promoting a culture of environmental protection and increasing environmental responsibility.

Senbilik is not just about collecting garbage or cleaning up the area, it is a special event that demonstrates the unity of society, the love of citizens for their hometown, and their responsibility for the environment. With this goal in mind, the university staff and students participated in the cleanup campaign with great enthusiasm.

The event was attended by members of the University Board , faculty , and about 1,000 students . This is a clear demonstration of OKPU's active position in the formation of an ecological culture. The university administration consistently supports such initiatives and considers educating young people to be sensitive to nature as one of its main areas.

Speaking at the official opening of the event , Board Member - Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and Social Affairs Barshagul Kashkynovna explained to the participants the essence and significance of the environmental campaign. In her speech, she said:
"The cleanliness of our hometown is the civic duty of each of us. Nature is our common home, so caring for it and keeping it clean is our responsibility to future generations. Such Sabbaths instill in young people a love of hard work and a collective spirit ," he said.

This speech by Barshagul Kashkynkyzy gave great motivation to the participants. The university team started the Saturday with organization and made every effort to ensure the effectiveness of joint work.

The clean-up event took place in several areas of Shymkent. The territories and roads allocated to the university were thoroughly cleaned: the roadsides were swept, the grass was mowed, and the collected garbage was taken to special landfills. Students took up shovels, brooms, and bags and began to clean up the environment with special responsibility.

Each faculty of the university worked in their respective areas, showing an excellent example of organization and unity. Students of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology cleaned the park area, while students of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography loosened the ground under the trees and planted young saplings. Students of the Faculty of Philology collected garbage and hung small environmental posters on the busy central streets.

During the weekend, students freely talked with each other, discussed the importance of protecting the environment, and exchanged views on ways to increase environmental culture. Many said that such events are necessary not only for cleanliness, but also for strengthening the collective spirit and forming an active civic position in society.

The university's youth organizations also actively participated in this event. Representatives of the "Zhas Orda" student council and the "Zhastar Ruhy" organization helped organize the action and guide the participants. They announced the Saturday event on social networks and called on young people to be environmentally responsible.

The event was filled with high spirits. Many students said that they had spent the Saturday voluntarily and that seeing their hometown clean is the dream of every citizen. Pedagogical students said that in order to provide environmental education to their future students, they must first of all set an example.

To quote one student:
"Such events unite us. We are not just cleaning, we are showing respect for our city, our environment. As a future teacher, setting such an example is a great responsibility for me ," says third-year student Aliya Seitova.

At the end of the weekend, the university staff handed over the collected garbage to special services and cleaned up the cleaned areas. Akimat employees and representatives of public organizations highly appreciated the students' activity and expressed their gratitude to the university.

The staff of the Uzbekali Zhanibekov OKPU has been actively involved in various environmental and social events. Every year in the spring and autumn, the university organizes such events as "Clean City", "Green Place", "Eco Saturday" . In addition, students of the university are among the active volunteers of public events held in the city of Shymkent.

At the initiative of the university rector, environmental education activities have been included in the educational process. Subjects and clubs for students address issues of environmental protection, waste sorting, and environmental safety. This is part of the systematic policy of OKPU aimed at forming future teachers as environmentally conscious individuals.

The September 21st Sabbath was a manifestation of this work. The joint work of the university administration and students served as an example for the city's residents. The cleanliness of the streets of Shymkent is a testament to the hard work of young people and their respect for their native city.

At the end of the weekend, the participants agreed to make such events a tradition in the future. Barshagul Kashkynyzy concluded her speech by saying:
"Cleanliness is not just a job, it is a spiritual culture. We will protect our future by instilling this culture in young people and creating environmental awareness ," he said.

Thus, the staff and students of the Uzbekali Zhanibekov OKPU actively participated in the World Cleanup Day and contributed to the beautification of the city of Shymkent. This event is a clear demonstration of the university's best practices in increasing environmental responsibility and forming civic awareness.

Cleanliness starts with everyone. The cleanliness of the city is an indicator of the culture of the nation. The OKPU team, adhering to this principle, showed an example of true love for their homeland.