At the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented a wide range of initiatives aimed at developing education, science, culture, and heritage protection.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring equal learning opportunities for all children, including those with special needs. To this end, he proposed the creation of a UNESCO platform for inclusive education and the organisation of a World Summit on Vocational Education to foster international exchange of experience.
The president also called for greater integration of artificial intelligence into education through the launch of an «AI School» project. A global expert forum on the ethics of artificial intelligence in museums is also planned.
To safeguard intangible cultural heritage such as traditional dance, music, and crafts, Mirziyoyev proposed designating November 19 as International Day of Documentary Heritage and establishing an International Institute for Digital Heritage. He also announced plans to host an International Congress on Crafts and Folk Art in Bukhara.
Highlighting the need to promote women’s participation, the president suggested the creation of a UNESCO Academy for Women’s Leadership and a Global Forum for Women in Education, Science and Culture.
In the environmental sphere, he proposed the «UNESCO Green Capital» initiative to recognise cities with sustainable development programmes and recommended holding an international symposium on cultural heritage preservation amid climate change.
To protect young people from misinformation and manipulation, Mirziyoyev put forward two further ideas: an International Festival of Children’s Cultural Content and a Comprehensive Strategy for Media Literacy Development.
