Background: UNO General Assembly declared 2010 the Year of Biological Diversity by its resolution. Thus UNO wants to attract attention of the world community to the necessity of protection and efficient use of the nature, joining efforts for preservation of eco-systems and protection of the most valuable natural objects. Excessive use of  fresh water, energy resources, mass cutting down of forests, modern agricultural methods and other fields of human activity negatively affect the environment and cause the reduction of biological diversity. At present more than 7 thousands species of animals and almost 60 thousands species of plants are under the threat of disappearance.
Specialists-ecologists consider destruction of natural habitat, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, excessive exploitation and introduction (premeditated or unpremeditated) of alien species into eco-systems to be the main treatments for the biodiversity of the Earth and some of its parts.
The organizers and founders of the Children Ecological Forum ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity-2010’ have decided to emphasize the importance of this problem by means of holding of the information campaign and the competition of children’s drawings. The children from all provinces of Uzbekistan can try to express their inside feeling of world, to think about importance of the diversity life for the Earth and about the ways of saving endangered species of plants and animals.
General information on the Children Ecological Forum ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity’.
The Forum is unified system of events that will be held in February – May 2010 with following tasks and objectives:    
the development of cooperation of children groups in the field of ecology based on the exchange of the experience of carrying out various creative and nature protection activity;
fostering in teenagers sensitive attitude towards the common human values such as careful attitude to the  environment, cultural and natural heritage;

forming in young inhabitants of our country the ecological culture and active living position on  the problems of biodiversity conservation;
raising awareness of population about the work of the State Committee for Nature Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of conservation and increase of the biological diversity of Uzbekistan.
The Children Ecological Forum ;Children’s Look at Biodiversity- 2010’ shall have two stages: on the National level (the Republic of Karakalpakstan, provinces of the Republic of Uzbekistan) and on the International level.
The children of schooling and preschooling age can take part in the competitions of the National Forum ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity – 2010’ with their creative works by different categories.

Contents:

–  the National Competition of  literary and art creative work will be announced and held;
–  upon the results of the competition the exhibition of children’s drawings will be                  
organize and the poster ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity’ based on the works of
the competition winners will be prepared and issued;
–  authors of the best literary works can take part in the children ecological expedition ‘Tracings Djeyran (Persian gazelle)’ in spring 2010. The expedition will be carried out in the Bukhara province, at the eco-center ‘Djeyran’. The best works will be published in the ‘Uniy Ekolog’ supplement to ‘Ekologigheskiy Vestnik’ journal for children and in the ‘Molodyoj Uzbekistana’ newpaper;
–  the authors of the best art works will be nominated for participation in the 19th International Competition of Childrn’s Drawings on the ‘Biological Diversity: Interrelation with Nature’ devoted to the environment protection. This competition is organized by the ‘Byer’ Company and UNEP jointly with other partners of the project, including the Fund for Fighting for Peace and Environment Preservation based in Japan and ‘Nikon’ Corporation.

COMPETITION  PROGRAM  of  the FORUM
The competition program of the Forum shall have two stages.
The first stage: national, in the country. Any institution and organization interested in preservation of natural diversity, engaged in the formation of ecological culture of children and youth can become the organizers of the national stages.
The second stage: international. Authors of the best art works shall be announced on participation in the 19th International Competition of Children’s Drawings on the ‘Biological Diversity: Interrelation with Nature’ devoted to the environment diversity.

The Forum classifies the creative competitions by following categories:
‘Biodiversity – is invaluable gift, one for all’ – the competition of the research and projective works on careful treatment of natural resources, preservation and revival of rare and disappearing species of biological diversity of Uzbekistan.
1.2. The work should follow the format:
- Description of one (by the author’s choice) rare species of flora or fauna of Uzbekistan. (physiological peculiarities, characteristic exterior features, habitat). Author should present these data creatively, as stories.
- Description of the problems concerned with survival and preservation of this species in the wild nature.
- Proposals on its conservation and description of possible practical actions of children, youth, habitants living closely to indicated species.
- The text should not exceed three pages of A4 format with standard margins, type 12 Times New Roman, line spacing 1.0.
- Under the head-line the full name and surname of the child, year of birth, postal address, e-mail if possible and compulsory contact telephone number should be indicated.
- The works by this category can be sent by e-mail to the address:
biotanlov@rambler.ru  or by telephone (+9987)2165985.
with the note: the competition ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity – 2010’ or to the address: 100185 Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sugali-ota street 7. (deadline 21 March 2010)
The jury will evaluate actuality of described problem, social importance of the research, the author’s own opinion and the proposal on resolution of presented problem.
2. ‘In the world of animals and plants’ – literary competition (stories, poems, essay, tales and etc.).
List of topics:
About beauty, unicity of fauna and flora of Uzbekistan, and about people (or concrete person) devoted their (his) life to the preservation of biological diversity.
About one of rare and disappearing species of flora and fauna of Uzbekistan, problems of its survival and possible measures for its conservation.
Narration should  be  based on the concrete facts and real events of life of a specimen of flora or fauna of Uzbekistan.
The creative works should be presented:
- in printed form; the text should not exceeded three pages of A4 format with standard margins, type 12 Times New Roman, line spacing 1.0;
- under the head-line the full name and surname of the child, year of  birth, postal address, e- mail address if possible and compulsory contact telephone number should be indicated;
- the works by this category can be sent by e-mail to the address:
biotanlov@rambler.ru, or by telephone (+99871) 2165985.
With the note: the competition ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity – 2010’ or to the address: 100185 Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sugali-ota street 7. (deadline 21 march 2010).
The jury will evaluate originality of highlighting the problem, creative and artistic integrity of work, brightness of exposition, the author’s own opinion on this theme.
‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity ‘ – the competition of drawings:

The jury will evaluate reflection of theme ‘Importance of conservation of Biological Diversity’, composition of the drawing, performance level, artistic expression, originality of idea.
‘Eco-objective’ – the competition of photo –reports about rare species of flora and fauna of Uzbekistan, about nature protection activity:

The jury shall evaluate disclosure level of topicality ‘Importance of Conservation of Biological Diversity’ consistency of plotline, artistic expression, originality of idea and also the performance level of presented series of photos.
Creative works accepted to the National stage should meet mentioned below requirements:
children no younger than 7 and no older than 14 by 5 February 2010 will be eligible for the competition program of Children Ecological Forum ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity – 2010’;
the competition works must not be plagiarism, copy or the part of works of other authors;
all competition works and attached documents to them should be sent in the single package by the organizers of the national stage to the address of the national organizer  before 21 March 2010 with the note : competition’ Children’s Look at Biodiversity -2010’ to the address: 100185 Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sugali-ota street 7.
Every competition work should meet abovementioned requirements.
The deadline of all categories of works is 15 April 2010.
Upon the results of conducting   the National Stage of the Forum:

Upon the results of the Children Ecological Forum ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity – 2010’:
The exhibition of children’s drawings will be organized;
the poster ‘Children’s Look at Biodiversity’ based on the works of the competition winners will be prepared and issued;
The creative works of the prize- winners can be published in the printed materials of ‘Uniy Ekolog’- supplement to ‘Ekologicheskiy Vestnik’ journal for children  and placed on its site www.econews.uz  with indication of the authors ( organizers do not bear the responsibility for plagiarism and mistakes in spelling of authors’ name).
The creative works sent for the competitions shall not be returned.
For detailed information you may telephone: (+99871) 2165985 or by e-mail:   biotanlov@rambler.ru,