Mr. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairman of the National Commission for UNESCO, together with Ms. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director General, took part in the opening of the high-level online panel dedicated to the celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).  

The event is being held on September 28-29 with the participation of the representatives of prominent governmental and nongovernmental organizations, including the World Health Organization, the International Council on Archives, UNDP, the Twitter, Open Government Partnership initiative, Transparency International and others.

It should be noted that Uzbekistan was the only country invited to such an authoritative forum. This is done in recognition of the changes that have taken place in our Republic thanks to the Policy of the President of Uzbekistan Sh.M. Mirziyoyev to ensure openness and freedom of expression.

Given the important role of information in countering the COVID-19 pandemic, “Access to Information - Saving Lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope” was chosen as the theme of the panel. The speakers drew attention to various aspects of ensuring access to information in the context of the strategies of international structures, governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as the private sector in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Aziz Abdukhakimov made a broad presentation on the results of large-scale reforms in the field of media development carried out in the country under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Specific examples were used to highlight measures taken in Uzbekistan to liberalize the media and strengthen their role in society, promote freedom of speech and protect the rights of journalists, ensure openness and transparency in the government’s work, and strengthen dialogue between the government and the people.

It was emphasized that owing to these efforts the country is witnessing profound transformations in all areas of life with the emergence of a socially and politically active population and a vibrant civil society. As part of the high-level online discussion, the government of Uzbekistan expressed the commitment to hold an international conference on the occasion of the IDUAI in Tashkent in the fall of 2021 in cooperation with UNESCO.

According to Aziz Abdukhakimov, the agreement on organizing this event in our Republic was reached during a meeting of the heads of Agency of Information and Mass Communications K. Allamjanov and S. Mirziyoyeva under the administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (now the management of The Public Fund for Support and Development of National Mass Media) with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, held on January 9, 2020 in Paris. The Uzbek side noted that the forthcoming conference will be a good opportunity to find ways to further increase support from the international community, including UNESCO, aimed at strengthening the capacity of countries to withstand future challenges and crises in terms of information.

The event highlighted the importance of discussing such topical issues as improving access to professional journalism and reliable information, sharing best practices in the field of effective response to challenges, and expanding the reach of advanced technologies and digital platforms to ensure communication in crisis situations. UNESCO Secretary-General Audrey Azoulay and other speakers expressed their sincere Appreciation to the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan for its readiness to host such an important event next year. The event was widely covered live via the official website of the Organization and its channels on all major social platforms.  

Source: Ministry of Tourism and cultural heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan