Bishkek- Besides a ride, a trolleybus is also a place where different cultures meet and interact.

In celebration of World Tolerance Day, IOM Kyrgyzstan partnered with the Youth Development institute to organize a Trolleybus of Tolerance in the cities of Bishkek and Osh.

It is a unique opportunity for the citizens of Bishkek to be transported to a world of different cultures present in the Kyrgyz Republic, without having to leave the city. International and Kyrgyz students decorated buses and trolleybuses to represent their respective country through visual arts, music, and literature.

One of the trolleybus riders said: "I would be very happy if every day was a day of tolerance".

“The Trolleybus of Tolerance is an opportunity for students of different cultures to come together and share their unique story. We are confident that the buses will be an important step towards strengthening intercultural understanding and friendship,” – notes Bermet Moldobaeva, Head of office of the IOM Mission in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The campaign is supported by the Bishkek and Osh Mayors’ Offices and Kyrgyz universities hosting international students. According to the State National Statistics Committee, about 72 thousand higher education students come from foreign countries including Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Republic of Türkiye, Republic of Korea, Afghanistan and other countries.

Every year on 16 November, the international community celebrates the International Day for Tolerance. The call to practice tolerance was written into the identity of the United Nations 75 years ago.