WNAM REPORT: On August 31 – September 1, the latest summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Tianjin, China, serving as an essential platform for discussing pressing issues of regional and global security and economic development. Special attention was given to strengthening cultural ties and expanding cooperation among the peoples of the member states.
At the heart of the humanitarian agenda once again were Uzbekistan’s initiatives aimed at promoting people’s diplomacy, supporting youth, and advancing education and tourism.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that a key factor in long-term partnership within the SCO is the further deepening of cultural ties and the strengthening of the institution of people’s diplomacy. In this context, the Head of State proposed a series of initiatives aimed at expanding humanitarian exchange and fostering closer ties among nations.
Among them are the holding of an International Festival of Folk Art, the organization of annual competitions and Olympiads for students and young professionals, especially in the field of innovation. These measures aim to foster an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust among the youth of the SCO member states.
The President of Uzbekistan paid special attention to the issues of education and training young professionals. Today, more than 3.2 billion people reside within the SCO space, and over half of them are youth, making working with the younger generation a priority area. In the context of digitalization and globalization, the contribution of young people to the sustainable development of countries becomes particularly significant.
In this regard, Uzbekistan proposed the initiative to expand the format of the SCO University, which has existed since 2008, by creating an online campus within its partner network. The goal of the project is to unite the region’s leading universities on a digital platform, providing students with access to joint educational programs, academic exchanges, and research projects.
Currently, the University comprises dozens of higher education institutions from member states, offering programs in various fields, including ecology, history, energy, and others. Students actively participate in international summer schools and exchange programs, which demonstrates the high potential for further development in this direction.
The Youth Council of the Organization plays an active role here, coordinating forums, sports festivals, volunteer initiatives, and educational events. Uzbekistan has repeatedly hosted such initiatives, including international debates and startup forums. All of this has created favorable conditions for launching new projects in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Continuing the humanitarian theme, Shavkat Mirziyoyev also emphasized the potential for developing tourism as an important area of cooperation. He proposed launching an SCO Tourism Corridor and creating an Alliance for Medical Tourism, which would not only boost tourist flows but also strengthen interregional ties.
Uzbekistan attaches great importance to expanding tourism contacts with the SCO countries, whose combined population exceeds 44% of the world’s population. At the same time, the potential of the tourism sector has not yet been fully realized.
The combined cultural heritage of the SCO member states, observers, and dialogue partners includes 207 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These landmarks hold exceptional value for tourism development and have long attracted travelers from around the world.
The development of such a vast tourism potential requires the training of highly qualified specialists. In this context, it is worth noting that in 2018, Uzbekistan established the Silk Road International University of Tourism in Samarkand. This was the country’s first international university specializing in tourism. It trains professionals in areas such as marketing, tourism design, logistics, and other relevant disciplines. Today, alongside Uzbekistan citizens, students from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and other countries near and far are studying at the university.
As a logical continuation of the cultural and humanitarian agenda, the President of Uzbekistan proposed extending these initiatives within the SCO Plus format and establishing a Cultural Dialogue of the Great Silk Road to strengthen cultural diversity and humanitarian ties.
As part of this proposal, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited partner countries to take part in the UNESCO General Conference to be held this year in Samarkand. The event is expected to become a significant international platform for showcasing the rich historical and cultural heritage of the SCO countries.
These efforts also naturally complement the joint SCO Cultural Heritage project launched in 2021, within which international exhibitions and UNESCO monument catalogs are being prepared. In addition, several countries host centers for the study of languages of SCO member states, which contribute to strengthening mutual understanding and expanding educational and tourism exchanges.
Beyond these initiatives, the cultural dimension is being actively realized through the SCO Cultural Capital project. In 2022, Samarkand was awarded this status and became a venue for dozens of international events – festivals, concerts, and exhibitions – fostering closer ties among the peoples of the region.
Overall, the outcomes of the recent summit demonstrated that the initiatives put forward by Uzbekistan are not only timely but also highly relevant from the perspective of the long-term strategic development of the SCO’s humanitarian agenda. They are intended to bring new substance to interstate cooperation, deepen intercivilizational dialogue, and create a solid foundation for the sustainable and peaceful coexistence of peoples across a space that is home to more than one-third of the world’s population.
