On tour through Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan 2012
With a lecture and presentation tour, we informed eight universities in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan about the possibilities of animal-free education
Part 2: Kyrgyzstan
With a lecture and presentation tour, we informed eight universities in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan about the possibilities of animal-free education.
The initiative came from a doctor member of our organization who had studied in Tashkent and reported on the horrific animal experiments she had to do there. With the help of InterNICHE, the international network for humane education, the project was expanded from one to eight universities. In May and June 2012, Dimitrij Leporskij—our partner in our successful Ukraine projects—and Nick Jukes, coordinator of InterNICHE, traveled through the two Central Asian countries for five weeks, carrying 130 kg (!) of presentation materials such as computer software, DVDs, and models.
The response to the presentations was overwhelming! Nick and Dimitrij informed a total of around 600 professors, university staff, and students at eight universities in four cities about humane education, sparking great interest among them.
The project was initiated and partially funded by us. Implementation and further funding were carried out by InterNICHE. Our partial funding was made possible by the generous donation of a foundation. Many thanks for that!
After presentations at universities in Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the journey continued to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
At the Akhunbaev State Kyrgyz Medical Academy, Nick and Dimitrij’s lectures were once again met with great interest.
There were 120 interested listeners from various departments of the Medical Academy and the Faculty of Medicine of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.
Studying without animal experiments is not only ethically superior to killing animals, but also offers better didactic teaching. Due to the country's difficult economic situation, Kyrgyz universities are not as well equipped as those in Uzbekistan. For financial reasons, the Academy dispenses with some of the animal experiments that are otherwise common and instead uses digitized old Soviet educational films.
Dimitrij Leporskij gives an interview to a journalist.
One of four articles in Kyrgyz newspapers.
Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the "plastinator" from Heidelberg, lived and worked in Bishkek for many years. His exhibition Body Worlds with plastinated corpses is world-famous. He left a trove of plastinated exhibits to the university—ideal for a medical school.
At the Kyrgyz State Arabaev University in Bishkek, subjects such as biology and chemistry with a focus on teacher training are taught. Once again, there was enormous interest.
Nick presents a model used to practice microsurgical procedures.
Surgical procedures can be practiced on an artificial dog leg.
Model dog Jerry was a hit everywhere.
Nick and Dimitrij giving their presentation at the Kyrgyz National Skryabin University for Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology—the fourth stop in Bishkek. Once again, the event drew a large crowd.
The university's zoological museum.
A self-made cow phantom used by veterinary medicine students to practice obstetrics.
Nick with Nikoloy V. Podgorny, Head of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics (left), and Prof. Bekbosun K. Aknazarov, Dean of the Faculty (right).
The final stop of the tour was the city of Osh, located 600 km southwest of Bishkek.
The Faculty of Medicine at Osh State University.
Nick and Dimitrij in the office of the university rector, Mamadgan A. Arstanbekov.
In the lecture hall, 180 attendees gathered, including 23 university professors. The medical faculty consists of 18 departments, 11 of which were represented.
Two students with our Russian-language leaflet “Why We Are Against Animal Experiments.”
There is no animal housing facility at Osh University. Students are required to bring frogs they have caught themselves and rats purchased at their own expense for experiments. We want to change that.