On March 19, President Mirziyoyev enacted the decree titled “On Measures to Elevate National Harmony and Relations with Compatriots Abroad to a New Level.” The initiative seeks to promote national unity, solidarity, and cohesion, ensure equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, deepen the multiethnic population’s stake in Uzbekistan’s prosperity, and foster stronger ties with Uzbeks living abroad.
Key priorities
The decree identifies several priority objectives to strengthen national harmony and relations with compatriots abroad:
- Fostering a unified civic identity by harmonizing interethnic relations and promoting friendship, mutual solidarity, tolerance, and unity within society;
- Enhancing the multiethnic population’s role in national development by safeguarding their rights and legitimate interests;
- Supporting Uzbek diaspora communities abroad in preserving their national identity while mobilizing their social and economic potential for Uzbekistan’s progress;
- Strengthening socio-cultural ties and friendly relations with foreign countries through people-to-people diplomacy, boosting Uzbekistan’s positive international image.
The decree emphasizes a “fundamental reform” of the sector. A new Committee on Interethnic Relations and Issues of Compatriots Abroad will be established, replacing the existing Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendly Ties with Foreign Countries under the Ministry of Culture. This new body will serve as the state authority responsible for implementing policies in these areas, coordinating the efforts of government agencies and organizations. It will report directly to the Presidential Administration and the Cabinet of Ministers. Locally, these responsibilities will fall to deputy heads of regional and city administrations tasked with public and religious affairs.
Plans to promote national harmony
The decree outlines several initiatives to bolster interethnic harmony:
- An annual conference under the slogan “Uzbekistan is Our Common Homeland” will celebrate the equality and solidarity of all ethnic groups and their contributions to the country’s development;
- Streets in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional centers, and Tashkent will be transformed into “Cultural Wealth of Uzbekistan” zones, reflecting the cultures, customs, and traditions of various ethnic groups and showcasing harmonious interethnic relations;
- Environmental campaigns under the motto “Together We Are Stronger” will involve eco-volunteers from diverse ethnic backgrounds to address pressing issues and foster a sense of collective responsibility;
