POLITICS

27 June – Press and Mass Media Workers Day

In Uzbekistan, 27 June – Press and Mass Media Workers Day is widely celebrated.

A great attention paid by President Islam Karimov to the national mass media requires even more activity, initiative and alertness of journalists, to live and work with a sense of belonging to the fate of Motherland.

These aspects are being even more clearly manifested in these days, when the country is widely celebrating 27 June – Press and Mass Media Workers Day.

Veterans of journalism, who have made a worthy contribution to the development of the sphere, famous journalists, creative and technical personnel of all types of media, publishers, printers, teachers of journalism faculties, young writers, representatives of various ministries and departments, public organizations were invited to the solemn meeting held at the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre.

The State advisor to the President Kh.Sultonov read the congratulatory greeting of Islam Karimov to the workers of press and mass media.

Chairman of the Creative Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan Sh.Gulomov noted that the role and importance of media is increased more and more in the process of informing people the essence and content of the reforms, the formation of public opinion and raising the socio-political activity of our compatriots.

In the years of independence in our country, the number of media outlets has increased almost four times. If in 1991, the total number of mass media was 395 units, at present – 1250. Before independence, all the media structures in the country: newspapers, magazines and TV channels were the bodies of state power and governance. Today, more than 60% of the mass communication media registered in our country are considered private.

During the meeting, the journalists who have made great contribution with their art to the promotion of sport and healthy lifestyle, widespread involvement of young people to the sports, were awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

A concert program with the participation of masters of art and young performers was presented.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan E.Basithanova and A.Aripov took part in the event. (Source: UzA news agency)

Statement on behalf of the Delegation of Uzbekistan “Uzbekistan on the Course of Sustainable Development” at the 5th Plenary Session of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de-Janeiro, Brazil, June 22, 2012

Distinguished Chairman,

Distinguished participants of the conference!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Allow me to express our deep gratitude to the Government of Brazil for hosting the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, top-level meeting that the whole world had prepared for long before its beginning.

In the last 20 years since the first UN Conference on Sustainable Development substantial changes have occurred on our planet. Rapid demographic growth, fast industrialization, globalization, growing demand for food, electricity generation – all these human activities are straining limited natural resources. Our ecosystem is encountering numerous challenges amid climate change and large-scale pollution of the environment, deficit of water resources, etc.

And today it became clear that the time is ripe to go over to new economic system, which provides transition towards more rational use of resources and conservation of ecosystems for sustainable development.

In implementation of its national development model, Uzbekistan seeks optimal combination of macroeconomic planning and environmental and social policies as a priority.

Uzbekistan, as a participant of the global process of attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), is consistently implementing the objectives set by the Millennium Development in 2000, based on which the national MDGs for the period up to 2015 have been developed.
Attainment of MDGs is elevated to the status of government priorities.
In recent years government spending for the social sectors and welfare have more than pentapled. Annually over 50 percent of State budget is earmarked for the social sector and welfare.

Annual spending for education in Uzbekistan constitutes 10-12 percent of GDP. The country adopted the State Programme for Development of School Education; National Human Resources Training Programme; the Programme and Concept on Development of Environmental Education, Training and Retraining of Environmental Workers, and Prospects of Improving the Further Training System in Uzbekistan.

Large-scale reforms have been implemented in the health system; health service in line with international standards, have been created; State Programme of Health Reforms has been adopted. Radical reforms and development of healthcare, elimination and substantial reduction of acute infectious diseases became the outcome of the implementation of this Programme. Maternal mortality rate has been reduced by over one-half and child mortality rate by two-thirds. Average life expectancy has gone up.

As a result of economic reforms, Uzbekistan succeeded in maintaining macroeconomic stability and balanced development of economic sectors; the growth rates are averaging 7-9% per annum. Structural reforms and diversification of the sectors of the economy have been implemented along with active investment policy and technical modernization of the manufacturing sectors.

Uzbekistan is successfully implementing Economic Modernization Programme focused on reduction of energy intensity, use of renewable sources of energy; Clean Development Mechanism projects are being implemented; strategies for improved water supply and sanitation of the cities and settlements of Uzbekistan up to 2020 are being formulated. As a result of implementation of the project on integrated water resources management, water use for irrigation has been reduced by 20-30%.

Uzbekistan is focusing its attention on protection of the environment. A number of targeted government programs and national action plans are implemented. The country is fulfilling the commitments related to 12 international legal instruments in this area.

National Environmental Action Plan has been formulated, identifying the prioritized environmental challenges and selecting the remedies. For its further implementation, Environmental Action Programs for 1999-2005 and 2008-2012 have been formulated and successfully implemented.

Based on the Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation, the efforts are underway to safeguard and revive animal and plant world, the programme for expansion and creation of the new protected areas for the period up to 2020 has been developed. In recent years their area increased by over 70,000 hectares. A new kind of a protected area – Lower Amudarya Biosphere Reserve has been established.
In the framework of regional cooperation, through established regional institutions, the efforts are underway to implement integrated water resources management, water efficiency and higher productivity, quality standards, scientific and information exchange.

One of the key factors of attainment of the substantial results in political and socioeconomic development and improvement of the environmental situation in the country is active participation of the civil society institutions – political parties, social institutions and movements in these processes.

The results obtained and ongoing qualitative changes in the economy, society, and politics enable to set the objectives of transition to the next stage with the focus on achievement of sustainable development goals in the long-run and one of the effective tools of transition to the green economy.

Preliminary analysis of the capacity of the sectors of the country’s economy demonstrated vast potential of the sectors such as energy, water and land resources, waste management “to turn green”.

On the course to sustainable development, Uzbekistan is increasingly focusing on development of human resources, enhancement of environmental awareness, and public education. In the framework of implementation of the Strategy for Environmental Education for Sustainable Development, UNECE is actively working to enhance the education of general public.

At the same time, there is a range of unresolved problems. Uzbekistan, located in the arid climatic zone of Central Asia, is currently encountering the environmental challenges of global climate change, cross-border pollution of air, desertification and land degradation, loss of biodiversity, shortage and worsening quality of water resources. All this is causing a number of socioeconomic problems.

Most problems related to worsening of the environment are cross-border in nature, which, in turn, stipulates the need to formulate and implement independent and balanced environmental policy of cooperation in the protection of the environment on regional and global levels.
Thorough focus is required for resolution of the problems caused by the implications of the environmental disasters - desiccation of the Aral Sea, which affected the lives of dozens of millions of people living in the Aral Sea basin Water is a critical resource for Central Asian countries. For Uzbekistan with about 30 million inhabitants, water resources are the backbone of food security.

Water supply of irrigated lands in Uzbekistan is still dependant on water policies of neighboring upstream countries, whose actions lead to the changes in the flow of the major rivers – Amudarya and Syrdarya, in the way adverse for the agriculture.

Underscoring utmost significance of water resources for sustainable development, including food security, healthcare, agriculture, and rural development as well as the right for safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, the importance of reasonable and fair use of transborder water resources based on the norms and principles of international water law must be underlined.

Uzbekistan envisions its vital prospects in the accession to the ranks of developed countries of the world, continuing and advancing political and economic reforms as well as modernization of the country, creating civil society, and thus supporting decent living standards of its citizens.

Based on the decisions of the UN ECE Conference of the environment ministers and for sustainable development of the country, following activity is envisaged:

Formulation of the long-term Strategy and Programme of Sustainable Development of Uzbekistan based on the existing Concept of Sustainable Development;

Formulation of the Strategy of Further Modernization of the Economy in line with development and environmentalization of the sectors of the economy, including further development of renewable energy;

Further development and improvement of the National Environmental and Climate Monitoring System including modernization of National Monitoring Network to improve the quality of information and making balanced decisions;

Enhancement of regional cooperation based on international law related to rational management of crossborder water resources and strengthening the measures on regional and international levels to prevent cross-border pollution of natural resources, combating climate change and loss of biodiversity.

We also voice our support for the proposal of UN Secretary General to review the aid programs for developing countries by international organizations for implementation of sustainable development goals.

We hope that consistent implementation of the envisaged measures will enable to facilitate sustainable development of social, economic, and environmental sectors in the country. Only joint efforts will enable to prevent the violations of the environmental, social, and economic balance in general and Central Asia in particular.

The results of this Conference are very important, on the basis of which we are to develop national programs for sustainable development starting from 2015.

Thank you for your attention! (Source: Press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

SOCIETY

National University of Uzbekistan Hosted Round Table Conversation

A round table conversation dedicated to the topical issues on training of journalists was held at the National University of Uzbekistan.

Well-known journalists, professors, teachers and students devoted themselves to the noble cause of development of information sphere were invited to the event, which was organized in connection with the Press and Mass Media Workers Day.

Rector of the National University of Uzbekistan G.Muhamedov, chairman of the Creative Union of Journalists Sh.Gulomov and others spoke about the reforms implemented in the sphere.

Large-scale work is carried out on further liberalization of the national press. About ten legislative acts adopted in this direction in the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The globalization of the information sphere requires journalists live and work in pace with time. It imposes a great responsibility also upon the pedagogical staff of the faculties of journalism.

An exchange of views was held within the event on further improvement of young journalists’ training, strengthening the educational-methodical base of universities that train journalists, improving the qualifications of the teaching stuff, mutual enrichment of the theory and practice. (Source: UzA news agency)

Summer 2012, Making Holidays Fun and Handy

Hot summer has come to Tashkent, so it’s right time to plan where and how to spend the vacation and holidays. The overwhelming part of our citizens prefers to take month holidays in summer. People want not just to pass away the time but to relax and have a good time with benefits for health and mind. Hundreds of people leave their suffocating offices, searching for some shady, chilly places near water. People go out of towns to enjoy amenities of virgin nature. Thankfully, there are a lot of such places in Uzbekistan. Our picturesque holiday houses, various health resorts, summer camps and tourist bases can satisfy demands of the most capricious holidaymaker.

Family holiday is quite popular among our citizens. That’s why our people prefer to spend summer together with their families in the summer cottages, or to send their children to summer health camps and to go out of the town with sanatorium vouchers. Many people like to travel around our country to see remarkable places. They visit Tashkent, Samarqand, Bukhara, Khiva. Uzbekistan has developed all needed infrastructure for tourism and recreation. Much attention is paid to beautify city parks, public gardens. Huge efforts are made to develop hotel business, and to reinforce the material-technical base of children’s health camps and sanatorium-and-spa institutions.

In this issue of the newspaper we will tell you how to organize summer holiday, and will share with you useful information about sanatorium-and-spa services available in the country, as well as children's health camps where your kids will joyfully spend their longest holidays of the year.

Holidays to remember forever

Organization of recreation and improvement of the children's health are always at the center of government’s attention. Uzbekistan’s successful practice on fostering harmoniously developed young generation is widely recognized around the world. Only in Uzbekistan, governmental and non-profit organizations join their efforts to provide younger generation with high quality health promotion programs; there are no such precedents in other countries around the world. This useful tandem enables to create all necessary conditions for pleasantly diverting holiday, to preserve the recreational objects for the following generations, and to use the available resources more efficiently and effectively. The Council of Trade Unions Federation of Uzbekistan plays an important role in this work. Noteworthy, children’s summer holidays are organized, this year, in accordance with government approved Concept of improvement of the children's health in Uzbekistan. To improve the efficiency of work in this direction, government has created special Republican Coordinating Group. It organizes leisure activities for children, develops set of measures for improving children health, controls and monitors implementation of its programs.

Working groups have been formed under the leadership of heads of ministries and departments. These groups should improve the quality of management and control in organization of summer holidays. They deal with organizational issues, supervise so children always are provided with healthy food, medicine, proper sanitary and epidemiological conditions and have safe transportation throughout the season.

More than 260,000 children, 7-14 years old, will salubriously rest in nearly 900 sanatoria all over Uzbekistan this summer season. There are also 217 out-of-town fixed health camps, and day camps opened under schools, high schools and colleges where children may pass their time.

Day camps are being opened only in those educational institutions where there are proper facilities for organizing such camps. It is important that those responsible for organizing these camps understand that this day camps have different functions from those educational institutions where they set up. Organizers, teachers, doctors and staff of children's camps attended special seminars on the eve of summer recreation season’s opening.

Accurate selection of the personnel and establishing effective work are key important in whole this process. In this regard, special attention is paid this year to ensure that children's health camps have only well qualified teachers and medical workers. Educators, teachers, heads of circles, doctors, sports coaches and technical staff who will work in the camps are being selected on the basis of a special contest.

It is gratifying that under the State program Year of the Family, 4,400 children from the Aral Sea area will enjoy this summer time in the best camps of Jizzakh, Samarqand, Qashqadaryo and Tashkent regions. More than 50,000 children from large and low income families will be provided with discounted vouchers.

One of the main goals of the organizers is to foster versatile educated young generation. That’s why intellectual, military and sports oriented camps as well as health camps have special place in health improving facilities. Opened last year for the first time, they have already proved themselves well. Close attention to their further development will be paid this year too. 500 pupils – the winners of school subjects Olympiads will get free tickets to the Republican Camp of Intellectual Development on the basis of the camp Kueshli (Sunny). During the holidays they will be able to attend master classes, as well as to participate in intellectual and sports events. 100 children from each region, who have won the school subjects Olympiads and competitions in their regions will also get free vouchers for recreational camps; there they will relax and accumulate strength. 2,000 fosters of orphanages and boarding schools will relax in health camps according to the charitable campaign Trade Unions to the Children.

Training camps for teenagers are being created in all regions of the country in collaboration with the regional commissions on juvenile affairs. The regional administrations together with enterprises will organize more than 20 camps of labor and rest for boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 17, where teenagers will be able to master some professional skills.

Summer season is a demanding time. That’s why all camps, regardless of their specialization, will pay special attention to youth’s physical rehabilitation, to the enhancement of their creative and intellectual potential, conducting moral-educational work in accordance with the requirements of the time.

Life in children's health centers is very eventful. Meetings with famous people, various competitions, games and other interesting stuff are always going on in the camps. Each camp has DVD player with lots of educational films for children, collections of songs. A special program for organizing and conducting cultural and sports activities in children's health camps is being developed these days. Professional and amateur art groups, artists, writers, famous athletes are working on this project. “Independence in my life” rallies will be held at each camp. Vacationers will make excursions to picturesque places of our Motherland. It is symbolical; that the new wellness season starts June 1 which is International Children's Day.

Summer with Kelajak Ovozi

The most enthusiastic and enterprising guys are going to spend this summer in training camp Kelajak Ovozi. On July 1, the camp located amidst the mountain peaks in the village of Mirak of Qashqadaryo region, which has already become a favorite place for activists and participants from all regions of the country, will open its doors to children.

Since 2007, the youth of the country has an excellent opportunity to spend leisure time with use as every day they will have a lot on thematic trainings conducted by well-known and reputable domestic and foreign coaches.

This year, participants will be divided into 12 thematic squads: Internet Journalism, Event-management, public relations, discussion club Dilemma, alumni club, language center Kelajak Lingvo, programming, web design, 3D, art and culture young business coaches, print journalism, coaching skills and youth television studio. There is very little time until they begin to work on their projects and realizing ideas. Now, the camp is actively preparing for the summer season, and conducting another test with future participants, for to become one of the lucky 600, one must fill out a questionnaire and undergo an interview. The guys are asked about everything: school and free time, dreams and ideas they really want to implement, projects of the Fund Forum and Kelajak Ovozi, determine leadership abilities and willingness to innovate in the development of selected areas.

Here, children can gain experience and knowledge, not only in training, but also learn a lot from their peers. Participants will be trained in a specially designed program in the format of role-playing game. Each group will have seminars and workshops, various presentations, tenders, press conferences, debates, discussions and business forums.
In addition to training, participants play brain games, art contests, sporting events, drama performances and meetings with celebrities. In short, all the best and most interesting, that may be of interest to young people.

Pleased to welcome guests

Cells of Public Youth Movement Kamolot are open in all children's health camps in the republic, and each of these cells organize cultural events for children. In anticipation of the summer season, the camp coaches had training seminars on the organization of summer holidays, campaigns Summer with Kamolot, Summer with Kamalak. Following the seminars, organizers have published handbook to guide the work with children. All the camps were given special discs Oromgohi Navollari with recorded children’s songs and music.

May 26-31, Lochin camp in Qashqadaryo region hosted eleventh meeting of the children’s organization Kamalak, which selected 388 children to assist camp coaches in the organization of children leisure time.
This month there will be 14 sports training camps opened in all regions, Republic of Karakalpakstan and Tashkent city, which will involve 1,500 young enthusiasts. They will have creative meetings, seminars, sports events.

Leisure time of those who spend summer vacations at home is also given attention. For them, it is planned to hold special events in mahallas: Sport the Guarantor of Health, We are the Children of a Great State, sporting events and seminars. Much work is carried out by children’s social centers to attract children in various art clubs operating in the locales.

Revealing Talents

Each year, talented young people from all over the country, who try their hand at journalism, participated in a media camps organized by the Fund Forum, National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan, Center of Youth Initiatives Kelajak Ovozi and Creative Union of Journalists.

The media camps are created for young journalists, cameramen, editors, producers, youth television studios, as well as creative and technical personnel of news services of the regional TV stations and other media. Classes are conducted by both domestic and foreign experts. Young journalists, guided by the advice of leading professionals, receive opportunity to improve their skills in preparing reports, stories and television shows.

Lessons at the camp are built on a combination of theory and practical exercises. The experts conduct theoretical lessons, point out strengths and weaknesses of young journalists. Furthermore, divided into groups, members of media camps receive special assignment to shoot stories and videos for the coaches’ consideration.

Thus, children living in various parts of our country have the opportunity to try their hand in this business and realize their potential. The master classes and workshops give a powerful impetus for continued growth and improvement of skills.

The unique project of a network of youth studios was initiated in 2008 by the NAEMM, Fund Forum and Kelajak Ovozi. As a result, youth television studios appeared in every region of Uzbekistan that received sets of modern technical equipment necessary for video and photography, and opened new filming studios. Today, TV studios together with national and international partners are regularly holding training seminars, workshops, forums, conferences, round tables where discuss current training standards and distinctive features of information presentation for young audiences. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)