The European Union (EU) announced the winners of the regional media Contest “Energy transition for a better tomorrow”, held among journalists from Central Asia. The Award Ceremony took place on 1 June 2025 during the EuroFest2025 in Astana and was part of the EU–Kazakhstan Sustainable Energy Days, DKnews.kz reports.
The contest drew significant interest from the journalistic community across the region. Total 128 journalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan applied and submitted 206 entries. After a competitive evaluation process, 15 entries were shortlisted for the final round, and, as a result, the Jury selected three winners:
- First prize: Vladislav Ushakov, Kyrgyzstan, photojournalist at “Photo.kg”, photo report titled “Kyzyl-Beyit: from isolation to energy independence”
- Second prize: Amina Manayeva, Kazakhstan, correspondent at “Perviy kanal “Evraziya”, video report titled “Will solar and wind energy help us?”
- Third prize: Doniyor Tukhsinov, Uzbekistan, journalist at “Kun.kz”, online article titled “Green goals: How can Uzbekistan prepare its youth for a clean economy?”.
The winners were awarded cash prizes of EUR 3,000, EUR 2,000, and EUR 1,000, respectively, funded by the EU.
In addition, the Jury gave special recognition to other two journalists: Ayzada Amangeldiyeva, Uzbekistan, for an online interview on “Anchor.uz” titled “Karakalpak Princesses: would you marry a woman working in the energy sector?” and Ermek Aktanov, Kyrgyzstan, for a radio report on “Birinchi Radio” titled “A woman in energy”.
“Good journalism makes a real difference. Journalists tell important stories and help drive conversations on essential topics, such as this – energy transition for a cleaner and more sustainable future for everyone. On behalf of the European Union, I would like to sincerely thank all contestants and encourage them to continue their valuable work in raising awareness and inspiring action on climate, environment, energy, and other pressing issues. I congratulate our winners – your stories stood out for their impact, insight, and relevance and truly deserve this recognition. I am sure they inspired many readers and viewers to consider and make climate- and environmentally-friendly changes in their lives” H.E. Aleška Simkić, the EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan
The media contest covered a range of important topics, including sustainable energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, gender equality in the energy sector, STEM education for girls, green and sustainable building practices, EU–Central Asia cooperation on sustainable energy, and research collaboration under the Horizon Europe Programme’s “Climate, Energy, and Mobility” cluster. The contest and award were organised by the EU-funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia” (SECCA) to boost public awareness on the transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the Planet.
