Erlan Karin: Taza Qazaqstan becomes pillar of country’s new public ethic
Ahead of World Environment Day, environmental campaigns are being held across the country as part of the nationwide Taza Qazaqstan initiative. According to State Counselor Erlan Karin, the project initiated by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has, over the past two years, evolved into a broad public movement aimed at improving and greening cities and villages, as well as fostering an environmental culture among the population, Qazinform News Agency reports.
It is stressed that the values of Taza Qazaqstan have received a higher normative status. In particular, the preamble of the updated Constitution now explicitly enshrines the need for careful and respectful treatment of nature for the first time. Among the fundamental principles of state activity are also the promotion of responsible and constructive patriotism and the development of a high environmental culture in society.
Taza Qazaqstan, alongside the principle of Law and Order and the Adal Azamat program, is considered one of the most important tools for shaping a new public ethic. It is therefore no coincidence that in nearly all of his speeches, the Head of State emphasizes the importance of promoting and embedding a model of behavior based on responsibility, awareness, legal discipline, and above all, patriotism, Karin wrote in his Telegram post.
He highlighted that responsible and constructive patriotism begins with every citizen developing the habit of maintaining cleanliness and order around them, treating nature with care, and combating vandalism.
A significant indicator is the broad public support for the Taza Qazaqstan project. In just the first two years, 1,500 environmental events involving around 6.5 million people, primarily young people, were held nationwide. Concerned citizens collected 2 million tons of waste and planted around 5.5 million trees, he wrote.
As a sign of solidarity with the Taza Qazaqstan project, it has already become a good tradition for heads of state, famous artists, and athletes visiting the country to plant trees.
As Karin notes, Kazakhstan is setting a new trend by demonstrating that public consolidation can be built not around complicated and abstract ideological constructs, but on the basis of simple and universally understandable values.
He said that the recent proposal in parliament had suggested that all political parties include the principles of Taza Qazaqstan in their programs and charters, as these principles essentially form the foundation of ideological modernization.
So, the Taza Qazaqstan project has not only gained broad public support, but is also gradually, step by step, becoming part of our way of life, he added.
Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan’s State Counselor Erlan Karin spoke about the positive changes taking place in Kazakhstan.