Nesta, from Bishkek to the Youth Council in France

A 12-year-old Kyrgyz girl who immigrated with her family seven years ago has been elected in Sommières to the body that promotes youth participation in public life. Her parents are proud: "In Central Asia, there is no freedom of expression, even for adults. I hope that one day my daughter will be able to make a significant contribution to life in Kyrgyzstan."

Paris (AsiaNews) - Twelve-year-old Nestan, the daughter of Kyrgyz citizens living in France, has been elected as a member of the Youth Council in the town of Sommières, in the south of France.

During the student elections, she presented a programme for the development of the town, taking advantage of the opportunity that the French authorities give young people to actively participate in society, to learn to express their opinions and to develop a sense of civic responsibility.

For her parents, Sanat Kušbek and Ajnura Sabyrbek, Nestan's election is a source of great pride. ‘She has become a representative of the people in a French town of 15,000 inhabitants,’ her father proclaims.

The Council brings together boys and girls aged between 8 and 18 who are interested in important initiatives such as environmental protection, culture, sport and much more. Nestan says, “When I grow up, I want to go into politics so that I can help solve problems, assist people in need and help the whole country grow”.

Mayor Pierre Martinez officially handed over the mandate to the Kyrgyz girl, along with the other youth deputies, commenting that ‘everyone is surprised at how a 12-year-old girl can take on such an important role for the whole city; this is not a school parliament, it is a council for the whole community in which we live.’

Her mother Ajnura is very happy that her daughter has presented important projects together with the other students, and for a few years they will collaborate with the municipal council, with monthly meetings ‘where adults appreciate and listen to the opinions and points of view of the children in a way that is truly surprising for all of us.’

Her father Sanat notes that this democratic and participatory approach of the French ‘is very different from what we are used to in Central Asia, and in general throughout the former Soviet world, where freedom of expression is not granted not only to children and young people, but even to adults.’

In Kyrgyzstan, children grow up with a sense of fear and submission, they do not trust others and ultimately do not even trust themselves, while in France they can vote for the president and parliament before the age of 18, and according to Sanat, ‘they do not blindly trust the empty promises of politicians, but vote for ideas and projects they believe in, and for candidates who can actually deliver on them’.

The Kyrgyz family emigrated to France seven years ago from the capital Bishkek, facing many difficulties, starting with the language and culture that were foreign to them, adapting little by little.

Sanat and Ajnura have four children, Nesta has one older brother and two younger ones, the flag of Kyrgyzstan flies above the front door, traditional instruments such as the komuz are played in the house, and the classic kalpak headgear is worn.

The family speaks Kyrgyz, but outside the home, everyone communicates comfortably in French. The young MP says, “I study four languages at school: French, English, German and Latin, and I really enjoy training in athletics, it helps me overcome stress and my classmates and I run 2-3 kilometres”.

Her parents graduated from the National University of Kyrgyzstan. Samat is a specialist in ecological subjects, Ajnura was a journalist, and now they make a living from online commerce and the tourism business.

They follow events in their homeland and discuss news about Kyrgyz society at home, hoping to return to their homeland one day, having retained their Kyrgyz citizenship, which they have no intention of exchanging for French citizenship.

They hope that ‘in the future, our daughter will be able to make a significant contribution to life in Kyrgyzstan and that our country will become one of the most developed countries in the world.’