In recent years, Uzbekistan has been advancing a number of
global initiatives aimed at developing human capital, nurturing a
capable young generation, and improving the system of working with
youth worldwide. The Organization of Turkic States serves as one of
the effective platforms in this regard. Such initiatives foster
friendship, cooperation, and development among the youth of the
region. Major conferences and joint projects conducted based on
Uzbekistan’s proposals are now opening new opportunities for the
youth of the Turkic world.

At the 7th Summit of the Turkic Council held in Baku on October
15, 2019, an initiative put forward by Uzbekistan to create a major
international platform for young entrepreneurs was supported. Based
on this proposal, the First Turkic Council Young Entrepreneurs
Forum was subsequently held in Tashkent. The event was organized at
a high level, providing young entrepreneurs from various countries
with the opportunity to exchange experiences and establish
cooperative ties.

Thanks to Uzbekistan’s initiatives, the issue of youth is
regularly discussed within the Organization of Turkic States. The
“Forum of Young Entrepreneurs of the Turkic Council Member States,”
organized in Samarkand in 2019, was one of the first significant
steps in this direction. Following the Samarkand forum, special
attention was given to economic cooperation among youth, which is
demonstrating high dynamics today.

In 2020, a “Meeting of Ministers of Youth Policy of the Turkic
Council” was held in Tashkent. During this meeting, Uzbekistan
proposed the development of comprehensive programs to unite the
youth of the Turkic states. The meeting addressed issues related to
youth’s innovative ideas, strengthening educational exchanges, and
expanding cultural cooperation.

In accordance with the initiative put forward by the President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the 8th
Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States held in
the Republic of Turkey, the year 2022 was declared the “Year of
Supporting Youth Initiatives” in the Turkic world. Within the
framework of this initiative, the “IV Young Leaders Forum” of the
Organization of Turkic States was held at a high level in Bukhara
on June 3–4. The opening ceremony of the forum was attended by the
heads of youth organizations of the Turkic states and high-ranking
guests from member and observer countries.

During the event, a special presentation was shown regarding the
declaration of 2022 as the “Year of Supporting Youth Initiatives”
and the designation of Bukhara as the First Capital of Youth
Initiatives of the Turkic World. At the conclusion of the ceremony,
a joint decision affirming this historic resolution and an action
plan for activities to be implemented in Bukhara throughout the
year were signed. In this connection, the city of Bukhara,
Uzbekistan, was declared the first-ever Capital of Youth
Initiatives of the Turkic World, and an official certificate was
presented to the governor of the Bukhara region, B. Zaripov. As
part of the event, a special monument—the symbol of “Bukhara, the
First Capital of Youth Initiatives of the Turkic World”—was
unveiled at the Youth Center, and a park dedicated to the youth of
the Turkic world was inaugurated.

The practical part of the forum involved participants dividing
into various groups and attending seminar-trainings in the fields
of science and education, entrepreneurship, arts, media, and
sports. Prominent figures from the countries of the Organization of
Turkic States conducted master classes. It was proposed that the
initiatives expressed by the youth be included in the agenda of the
next meeting of the Ministers of Youth and Sports of the
Organization of Turkic States. On the final day, participants
visited the Bahauddin Naqshband Complex, the Samanid Mausoleum, and
the Bukhara Ark, familiarizing themselves with the city’s rich
heritage. Additionally, the guests visited the Gold Embroidery
Center and the Old City, observing the opportunities being created
for the youth. The forum concluded with a gala concert and a
meeting with famous speakers.

The 2022 Samarkand Summit of the Organization of Turkic States
marked a turning point in youth policy. At the summit, the issue of
implementing the “Turkic States Youth Platform” was placed on the
agenda. Uzbekistan put forward specific initiatives to strengthen
ties among youth in the fields of education, science, and culture.
The idea of creating a “Student Exchange Program” among partner
countries was developed, and agreements were reached in this
regard. To develop youth entrepreneurship, representatives of our
country proposed supporting startups, expanding access to venture
capital, and launching joint initiatives in information technology
and innovative projects. Such ideas were also reflected in youth
meetings held in the city of Turkistan.

In the area of cultural and educational cooperation, joint
projects aimed at instilling the common historical heritage of the
Turkic peoples in the minds of the youth were launched, and various
literary contests and art festivals were organized. These events
served to bring the youth closer together and strengthen the idea
of Turkic unity.

In 2024, the youth policy within the Organization of Turkic
States was enriched with more specific projects. At meetings held
in Istanbul, the development of youth diplomacy became a central
theme. The idea of creating a dialogue platform between youth
parliaments was supported, opening new opportunities for the active
participation of youth in political decision-making processes. In
the field of education, agreements were reached on creating joint
textbooks on Turkology, common history, and linguistics.
Representatives from our country contributed practical proposals to
this process, putting forward a plan to organize scientific
seminars and summer schools for students from Turkic states in
Tashkent. Concurrently, training programs in information technology
were discussed, and the issue of opening joint information
technology incubators in Uzbekistan was placed on the agenda. In
the area of supporting youth entrepreneurship, a “Turkic Startups
Week” was held. Additionally, preliminary agreements were signed
with major companies of the Turkic states aimed at financing youth

On September 8–9, 2024, the eighth meeting of the Ministers for
Youth and Sports Affairs of the member countries of the
Organization of Turkic States was held in Astana, the capital of
Kazakhstan. During the meeting, Uzbekistan put forward an
initiative to establish a “Center for Creative Youth of the Turkic
World” in Tashkent. This proposal had been previously voiced by
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Council of Heads of State of
the Organization of Turkic States on September 3rd. The cooperation
of the member states of the Organization was noted as a crucial
factor in establishing the activities of this center.

Within the framework of the Global Youth Festival held in
Tashkent from June 16–19, 2025, the “III Turkic States Youth
Diaspora Forum” was conducted. It was attended by young diaspora
representatives from the member and observer states of the
Organization, as well as the Deputy Secretary General of the
Organization of Turkic States. The forum discussed the preservation
of national values against the backdrop of global processes, the
expansion of cooperation among youth, and the challenges in the
activities of diasporas.

Thus, Uzbekistan’s youth policy within the Organization of
Turkic States, which has been developing progressively since 2019,
is notable for encompassing clear goals and objectives. The
practical implementation of initiatives, the establishment of joint
centers, and the strengthening of youth diplomacy are consolidating
the results of this cooperation.