Representatives of the SCO Public Diplomacy Center in Uzbekistan are participating in the SCO Public Diplomacy Forum and the Sister Cities Forum, which are being held in Shenyang, China.

The events are organized by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the People’s Government of Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of China.

Nearly 400 participants from SCO member states gathered at the event under the theme “Deepening People-to-People Friendship and Promoting Sustainable Development”.

The Director of the Center, Qobiljon Sobirov, took part in the session “Sister City Relations and Trade-Economic Cooperation” as well as in the Second International Conference on Trade and Economic Cooperation among Shenyang’s Sister Cities.

In his speech, he emphasized the vital role of public diplomacy, which is becoming an integral element of interstate relations both in bilateral and multilateral formats. It serves as the primary channel for fostering mutual understanding among people from different countries, deepening awareness of each other’s culture, history, traditions, and worldviews, which are essential elements that build mutual trust and sympathy at the societal level.

Following the forum, the Consensus on Sustainable Development of Public Diplomacy in SCO Countries and the Shenyang Initiative will be published. According to the organizers, several agreements will also be signed between sister cities and friendly organizations, including those in trade and economic cooperation.

Additionally, a Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between the SCO Public Diplomacy Center in Uzbekistan and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, a leading institution of Chinese public diplomacy.

G. Khonnazarov, UzA