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 startups.
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.