United States Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Pamela Spratlen visited IFES’ Democracy Camps on Tuesday, 26 July. Sworn into office in April 2011, Spratlen has been familiarizing herself with the numerous democracy and governance programs supported by the U.S. government in her new post.

The visit allowed her to see firsthand IFES’ long-standing efforts to build skills and democratic values in the youth of Kyrgyzstan.

Spratlen visited the democracy camp session held in Kaji Say on the south side of Lake Issyk Kul. She watched participants engage in problem-solving sessions, in which students were given envelopes that contained lists of issues and questions.

Students were then asked to think through the challenges presented to them both individually and in small groups. This exercise in critical thinking was something new for students accustomed to the Soviet tradition of education. The ambassador even sat with six students participating in the camp to discuss their experience afterwards.

Over the past 10 years, IFES has held over two dozen democracy camps in Kyrgyzstan. Tailored to high school students, the 10-day camps are intended to develop students’ problem-solving skills and promote values of leadership, responsibility and civil participation to strengthen democratic society.

Using lectures, group work, competitions, theater and sports, these innovative summer camps allow teenagers to discover their talent and potential. Most leave with an increased sense of confidence and feel empowered to carry out projects to improve their schools and communities.

In 2011, IFES organized three summer camps, all in the month of July, with 320 participants. Two camps took place in the Issyk Kul region and one was held outside of the capital, Bishkek, in the Chui region. Due to ongoing security concerns, camps were not held in the south for the second year in a row. However, some students selected from the south were transported to the northern regions to participate.

In addition to the full-length summer camps, IFES conducted a series of abridged “mini-camps” in March to reach students during their winter school break. The three-day mini-camps in Talas, Naryn and Issyk Kul saw the participation of 269 students.

IFES maintains a positive working relationship with the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, providing regular briefings and facilitating site visits on both its youth empowerment projects and election-support activities.