Bolajonlar-Shirintoylar children’s fashion traditional festival has again presented the wider public with a collection of bright, fanciful, and crucially, distinctive outlets for children and teens, combining contemporary trends with national color. Attires created by young designers of Uzbekistan have been demonstrated by juvenile models. Within the action, winners of Fund Forum’s annual Pedagogical Scholarships Program have been announced.

Every year, the Fund Forum and Osiyo Ramzi (Symbol of Asia) Association of Fashion Designers of Uzbekistan organize major festivity for all linked with fashion world. Though, the Festival Bolajonlar-Shirintoylar is only a magical carnival, but a scientific forum and creative competition of domestic fashion designers that is preceded by long and painstaking preparation. The project has no analogs in the world and it makes the action ever more attractive for residents and guests of Uzbekistan. The festival contributes the development of children’s fashion industry, support of creative and talented youth, preservation of national traditions and customs. Beginning fashion designers have presented their collections along with those celebrated ones. In order to reach the finale of the contest, designers should pass three rounds. At the first round each participant represents sketches of collections on such nominations as School Style, Attires of National Style, Carnival Garments, Avant-garde Looks, as well as Casual and Sports Outfits. Authors of best sketches pass to the second round during which garments are getting made. And, at last, the third round is the final fashion show of collections of participants, on the result of which winners are defined. According to the tradition, the final gala show has been hosted by the Center of National Arts that this time turned into a magic kingdom of children’s fashion. It was a big time for the talented youth: students of the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry, attendees of the Center of Children’s Creativity Eski Shahar of the Fund Forum, as well as students of the Barkamol Avlod Children’s Center, Art Bureau Kolibri and Fashion Theater Paradise.

“My collection named Snowdrop consists of 10 looks designed for children of different ages. In my collection I used various fabrics, including denim, as well as national ornaments,” tells Dilzoda Egamberdieva, 14, attendee of the Barkamol Avlod Children’s Center. “I have got interested in fashion design because do like our national fabrics and cloth. And, I decided to make my contribution in the development of rich heritage of the Uzbek people.”

New collections of children’s cloth evoked the interest of major part of the audience gathered that day in the Center of National Arts. Most came with their children and some looked for garments for their children. The audience was more charmed with young models – fascinating and artistic boys and girls.

“In the Center of Children’s Creativity Eski Sahahar we learn appropriate walking the catwalk and other no less interesting stuff. I do like to participate in demonstration. Garments are so beautiful and bright,” says Sunnat Azimshayhov, 6.

Winners of the festival and young models were granted with presents from organizers of the project. Honor certificates were given to heads of the children’s fashion schools Olga Yaikova (Art Bureau Kolibri), Alisher Giyazov (Fashion Theater Paradise), Turghunoy Alimova (Center of Children’s Creativity Eski Shahar), Zulfiya Rasulova (Barkamol Avlod Children’s Center), and others.

Within this event there was organized the awarding ceremony of the Program of Pedagogical Grants 2011. This project of the Fund Forum was founded in 2006 aimed at pecuniary support of educators, as well as advancing their professional skills. The contest envisages the selection of best innovation ideas in education sphere, authors of which are allocated with pedagogical grants for implementation of the ideas. In 2011, from 1,470 applications were selected 50 best projects. In tote, since the project’s launch there have been granted 173.2 million soums.

Participants of the Program of Pedagogical Grants grow in number from year to year. Those include headmasters of schools, lyceums and colleges, deans, vice rectors and rectors. Each of them aspire to contribute in the development of education system of the country through working out new methods of teaching, creating new teaching aids, education sites and many others.(Source: Uzbekistan Today newspaper)