Experiencing Seattle with the Uzbekistan Youth Leadership Program

From August 2-22, FIUTS was incredibly fortunate to be able to host our first in-person Visiting Program in 17 months! The Uzbekistan Youth Leadership Program included 17 students, ages 17-19, who spent three weeks with FIUTS in Seattle learning about environmental conservation, sustainability, and justice; leadership development; and community project planning. FIUTS produced this program in partnership with American Councils for International Education, with funding from the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent.

We are so grateful to these incredible students for their enthusiasm, dedication, and openness as we all worked together to navigate the complexity of running a safe exchange program during a global pandemic. Thanks also to our incredible partners, hosts, UW student Ambassadors, and everyone else who made this program possible!

Take a look at the photo gallery below to learn more about what the group did during their time here. Now that they’re home, they are also starting work on the Community Action Projects that they planned during their time in Seattle. We’re looking forward to sharing more about what they accomplish!

Welcome to Seattle!

A fun and informative day of orientation and icebreakers outdoors

Creating "Problem Tree" posters to map the causes and effects of an issue affecting communities

A virtual site visit with Peter Zahler of the Woodland Park Zoo to learn about conservation initiatives in Uzbekistan and worldwide!

Learning (and teaching each other) about native plants at the Washington Park Arboretum

For most participants, their visit to Golden Gardens to meet with Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalists was their first time on a beach!

Learning to play frisbee and American football after a picnic lunch at the beach

Learning about local environmental justice initiatives at the Duwamish River Festival

A visit to the Seattle Aquarium!

Participants learned to play cornhole in Westlake Park before going to dinner with their University of Washington "Ambassadors"

A community mapping activity to learn about community assets at Pike Place Market

Visiting a Clean Cars Rally held by Coltura to learn about environmental advocacy

A service project in Capitol Hill's Tashkent Park with the Seattle Tashkent Sister City Association!

Volunteer service project with Food Lifeline

Participating in a culture and diplomacy simulation activity with UW Ambassadors

A "mock project planning" workshop to help work through challenges and roadblocks that can come up when implementing a community project

The start of our 2-day retreat at Islandwood to learn about environmental education!

A rare mask-free photo of participants enjoying an incredible dinner at Islandwood

Playing some fun group games on a beautiful evening on Bainbridge Island

We couldn't do a real campfire because of the burn ban, but we could still learn about trees through a fun movement activity

We participated in Islandwood tours to learn about the organization's mission and vision, sustainable design, and the forest habitat

For many participants, it was also their first time in a forest!

We were so lucky to have longtime FIUTS host, Jeannette Franks, as one of our docents!

Climbing the canopy tower to see the forest from the treetops

Learning about tribal history and culture at the Suquamish Museum

Munira and Aydana representing Seattle on the ferry back from Bainbridge!

An incredible meeting with Lylianna Allala, Climate Justice Director at the City of Seattle's Office of Sustainability & Environment

A fun and informative meeting with crew members at Earth Corps to learn about environmental restoration

At our end-of-program celebration dinner, students shared posters about their planned Community Action Projects with their hosts, Ambassadors, and friends

All participants showing off their project posters! We are so proud of their hard work and can't wait to see what they do next.