To attract public attention to environmental problems and to raise ecojournalists activity, annual Festival of Ecological Journalism (FEJ) is carried out in CA countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan and Turkmenistan) since 2001. Within the Festival framework a competition for the best environmentally-oriented works among region television, printed and broadcasting mass media is carried out. The festival helps to integrate ecological journalism into information space of the Central Asia and enables experience exchange among journalists of Central Asia Republics.
The following new approaches are brought in carrying out of the Sixth Festival:
1) Only GEF theme are chosen for the 6th festival: biodiversity, transboundary waters protection, climate change and land degradation. This will stimulate journalists to create new works on the issues.
2) New nominations for participation in Festival are entered, criteria giving better understanding of preferred works are presented for journalists
3) This time the best works of young journalists (schools pupils, students, youth organizations, age ? up to 25) will be marked by special prizes, with the purpose of young people attraction to ecological policy and sustainable development
4) To involve a wider range of young journalists an alternative youth jury consists of students of ecological and journalistic faculties of Almaty Universities and Institutes will be created for the festival works assessment.

The project goal is to increase awareness of the public of Kazakhstan in biodiversity, transboundary waters protection, climate change and desertification issues, and form civil position in the field of environment protection through development of ecological journalism in the republic.

Project tasks:
1. Assistance to occurrence in mass-media of environment-oriented materials on biodiversity cobservation, transboundary waters protection, climate changes mitigation and land degradation prevention.
2. Revealing the best journalists or team works in the field of biodiversity, transboundary waters protection, climate changes and desertification. Youth activation for participation in the Festival.
3. Assistance in experience exchange and increase of Kazakhstan ecojournalists professional skill. Attraction of public attention to environment problems.

Expected results:
1. The best environment-oriented materials on biodiversity, transboundary waters protection, climate changes and desertification revealed through work assessment.
2. The journalists created the best environment-oriented materials on a set of subjects are awarded.
3. The youth is involved for participation in jury of CA Festival of Ecological Journalism and acquaintance with competitive works of Festival.
4. Favourable conditions for professional skill increased and experience exchange among journalists of the Central Asia are created.