TASHKENT ( WNAM REPORT): The first session of the Fergana Peace Forum, titled “Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress,” is scheduled for October 15-16, 2025, in the city of Fergana.
The city of Fergana will transform into a focal point for international dialogue and cooperation, hosting key stakeholders from across the region and beyond. This gathering underscores the city’s growing importance as a center for promoting peace, mutual understanding, and collaborative development in Central Asia.
The Forum will be organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRI), jointly with the Center for Progressive Reforms, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the Peacebuilding Hub, a platform that brings together reputable international organizations specializing in peacebuilding and social cohesion.
The Forum, titled “Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress,” is organized in partnership with the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Institute for Studying Problems of Asian and European Countries at the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.
The two-day forum will bring together over 300 participants from Central Asian countries and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Among the high-level guests are Head of UNRCCA Kaha Imnadze, European Union Special Representative for Central Asia Eduards Stiprais, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre Kate Fearon, Secretary-General of CICA Kairat Sarybay, and Deputy Secretary-General of SCO Sohail Khan.
A key feature of the upcoming session will be its inclusive nature, with participation from representatives of civil society, youth organizations, and women’s associations, as well as expert and academic communities.
Leading international peacebuilding institutions such as the Berghof Foundation (Germany), the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (Finland), the PeaceNexus Foundation (Switzerland), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will also be at the Forum. Reflecting a commitment to being inclusive, the forum will also draw participation from youth, women groups, and the academic circle.
The Forum aims to create a standing platform for promoting dialogue, mutual trust, and good-neighborly relations and for developing a shared strategy for the development of the Fergana Valley.
The forum’s agenda includes discussions on ensuring stability and sustainable development in the Fergana Valley, unlocking its economic potential, strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties, and expanding the roles of the private sector, youth, and civil society.
The Forum will see the first observation of the “Yntymak Day” (“Day of Unity”) which celebrates the unity in diversity spirit of communities in the Fergana Valley.
Among the anticipated outcomes of the forum is the adoption of a Communiqué calling for the establishment of a unified space of friendship, good neighborliness, and sustainable development in the Fergana Valley.
At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, underlined that “the era of closed borders, unresolved disputes and conflicts in Central Asia has receded into the past. Recently, the volume of mutual trade, investment and transport flows in our region has increased fivefold. Joint investment funds, cross-border trade and industrial cooperation zones are being established, while major infrastructure projects are under implementation.”
The President of Uzbekistan emphasized that “today marks the beginning of the formation of a New Central Asia. Thanks to its unity, stability, and growing regional identity, it is securing an increasingly strong position as an independent actor in the system of international relations.”
“Peace in Fergana Valley has been made possible by strong commitments in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and by the diverse communities that have transformed differences into strength. The First Peace Forum on the Fergana Valley will showcase how this political resolve and the communities’ bond could usher in peace,” said Eldor Aripov, Director of ISRS.
According to him, “The Ferghana Forum is intended to create a new image of the Ferghana Valley as a space of peace, harmony, and opportunity,” demonstrating that the political will of the countries’ leaders and the unity of their peoples can ensure stability and prosperity in the region”.
