On 3 May 2021, winners of a contest of essays called Vernal Equinox Day a Special Day for the World's Nations received awards at the Alley of Writers in Tashkent. The event that involved ninth, tenth and 11th grade pupils from Uzbek schools was timed to coincide with the SCO's 20th anniversary.
The contest was organised by the SCO Centre for Public Diplomacy in Uzbekistan and the aim of it is to help unlock talents, to support independent-minded people and to select gifted and talented young people in the republic. Its main purpose is to unravel creativity and to promote the younger generation's social activities.
In their essays, school pupils provided a vivid and interesting description of Nowruz celebrations in the SCO region. The awards ceremony involved representatives of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Public Education, the Union of Writers of Uzbekistan, famous poets and writers, scientists and media representatives.
Speaking at the event, Director of the SCO Centre for Public Diplomacy in Uzbekistan Kabuljon Sabirov noted that the main aim of the contest was to inspire talented young people to engage in creative work, to raise their awareness about the SCO countries' culture, history, traditions, values as well as public diplomacy, and to think about ways of establishing neighbourliness, inter-ethnic and inter-denominational accord and facilitating overall intra-civilisational dialogue between the peoples of foreign countries.
The Centre's Director noted that an assessment of the essays showed that the bonds of friendship between young people had become firmly embedded in the development of Uzbekistan.
"It is common knowledge that public diplomacy can serve as a good foundation for understanding the mentality of the world's nations, and that it can help further strengthen relations of neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation. Doubtless, expanded inter-cultural dialogue in the interests of nations living in the SCO region, efforts to preserve and promote the diversity of cultures and cooperation in studying the region's cultural and natural heritage help further expand contacts between people. In this connection, the SCO Centre for Public Diplomacy will continue to consistently use public diplomacy tools for bringing SCO countries and their peoples ever more closer together, strengthening the Shanghai Spirit and promoting mutual trust and neighbourliness," Mr Sabirov noted in conclusion.
Mushtary Erkinova, an 11th grade pupil from School No. 12 in the Fergana Region's Fergana District, came first. The second place went to Gulsanam Rustamova, a ninth-grade pupil from School No. 14 in the Navoiy Region's Qiziltepa District, and Feruza Rahmonkulova, a tenth-grade pupil from School No. 2 in the Syrdarya Region's Gulistan District. A ninth-grade pupil from School No. 20 in the Surkhandarya Region's Jarkurgan District and Mekhribon Oripova, a pupil from School No. 12 in Zarafshan in the Navoiy Region, were third.
Members of the jury of the contest read over 200 essays and suggested giving awards to the authors of the best papers. School pupils from Uzbekistan's Navoiy, Khorezm, Surkhandarya, Fergana, Syrdarya and Tashkent regions were the most active participants.
While selecting the best works, jury members prioritised their unique style, artistic professionalism and the youngsters' ability to disclose the subject and to focus on such matters as the values of friendship and family, art, folklore, nature, national customs and traditions of the SCO countries, as well as the beauty of the surrounding world and native parts, love for one's homeland, as well as dreams of a peaceful and happy global future.