On 20 June 2023, the SCO Secretariat gave a reception in honour of the 22nd anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Opening remarks were given by SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming; Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chair of China’s SCO Committee on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Shen Yueyue, and Ambassador of the Republic of India to the People’s Republic of China Pradeep Kumar Rawat (India chairs the SCO in 2022-2023).
A ceremony to award certificates conferring the honorary title of SCO Goodwill Ambassador took place during the reception. Opening the event, Zhang Ming congratulated all those present on the anniversary. He told the audience about the SCO’s history and future projects, and expressed hope that the goodwill ambassadors would use their influence to promote the SCO among the general public, demonstrate its favourable image, and attract more talent and professionals to further advance the organisation.
After his remarks, the Secretary-General presented a certificate conferring the honorary title of SCO Goodwill Ambassador and an SCO badge to Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan, Olympic champion Dilshod Nazarov, and Chairman of the Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Akmal Nuridinov.
The reception was attended by over 200 people, including the heads of the diplomatic missions from the SCO countries, permanent representatives of the SCO member states, diplomatic staff from international and regional institutions in China, and the top management and other officials of the SCO Secretariat.
According to the provision on the SCO Goodwill Ambassador honorary title, approved by the SCO Heads of State Council in Samarkand in 2022, the nominated candidates were determined by consent by the SCO Council of National Coordinators and approved at the session of the SCO Foreign Ministers Council. The following representatives were included in the first group of goodwill ambassadors: Wu Weishan (People’s Republic of China), Mikhail Shvydkoi (Russian Federation), Dilshod Nazarov (Republic of Tajikistan), and Akmal Nuridinov (Republic of Uzbekistan).