The ENU hosted Darmarka - an environmental celebration of exchange and conscious change

In collaboration with the Darmarka Astana initiative, the ENU Center for Sustainable Development organized a city-wide event that brought together residents of the capital and the university community around the ideas of sustainable consumption and reuse.

Darmarka is a donation fair where participants could freely exchange unwanted items and hand over waste for recycling. This format helps reduce the amount of waste, promotes a culture of reuse, and encourages responsibility for the environment.

During the event, the following materials were collected:

* 421 kg of paper;

* 385 kg of plastic;

* 254 kg of glass;

* 399 kg of textiles;

* 188 kg of other waste.

Volunteers of ENU and members of the ENU EcoClub played a key role in organizing and conducting the event, demonstrating a high level of youth engagement in environmental initiatives and supporting the mission of the Center for Sustainable Development.

Such initiatives reflect the key priorities of the ENU Center for Sustainable Development and contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular:

* Goal 4.7 – promoting education for sustainable development and fostering environmental awareness;

* Goal 12 – supporting responsible consumption and resource reuse;

* Goal 13 – advancing actions to combat climate change;

* Goal 17 – strengthening partnerships between the university, urban initiatives, and the community.

Through projects like Darmarka, the Center for Sustainable Development creates a space where environmental education, practical action, and youth initiative become the foundation for a sustainable future — for both the university and the city as a whole.