The delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic is participating in the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference — the organization’s highest governing body — taking place in Samarkand from October 30 to November 13. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, this year’s session marks the first time in over 40 years that the General Conference is held outside UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, bringing together delegations from 194 member states.
During the plenary session, the Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to UNESCO, Mr. Sadyr Sher-Niyaz, expressed his gratitude to the people and Government of Uzbekistan for their warm hospitality and excellent organization of the event. He emphasized that under the leadership of President Sadyr Japarov, Kyrgyzstan has achieved political stability and is steadily implementing socioeconomic reforms.
In his speech, Mr. Sher-Niyaz highlighted key priorities, including climate change adaptation, conservation of mountain ecosystems, cultural heritage preservation, and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also announced upcoming major international events — the 6th World Nomad Games in 2026 and the “Bishkek+25” Summit in 2027.
On the sidelines of the conference, Mr. Sher-Niyaz and Presidential Adviser Mr. Arslan Koychiev met with the nominated UNESCO Director-General, Ms. Khaleda Al-Anani. The Kyrgyz side invited UNESCO’s leadership to take part in the upcoming Issyk-Kul International Forum in June 2026.
Additionally, the General Conference adopted a resolution proclaiming December 15 as the World Day of the Turkic Language Family. The initiative, developed jointly by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan over the past four years, aims to strengthen cultural ties and promote the shared linguistic and historical heritage of Turkic-speaking nations within UNESCO. The date commemorates the deciphering of the Orkhon inscriptions — the earliest known monuments of Turkic script dating back to the 8th century.
📍 Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan
