Samarkand Dialogue: Young parliamentarians worldwide, united for law, justice, and a promising future

In Samarkand, young parliamentarians from various countries came together around a shared belief: it is no longer sufficient to make decisions regarding youth. They must also be active co-creators of these decisions.

In a challenging era where human rights, justice, and human dignity face significant tests, the voice, initiative, and political engagement of young people are more crucial than ever.

On the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the 12th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) was held in the ancient city of Samarkand from September 4-6, 2026.

The conference gathered around 250 delegates, including young parliamentarians from 60 countries, representatives from 13 international organizations, senators, deputies, members of state and public organizations, youth, and media workers. It focused on “Reclaiming human rights, justice and dignity for all in turbulent times”.

This platform was exceptional for dialogue. Over three days, Samarkand became a key international forum where young parliamentarians exchanged their experiences and challenges, collaborated on finding common solutions to global issues, and, crucially, outlined the responsibility and role of youth in addressing these problems.

The President of Uzbekistan’s congratulatory message to the conference participants added special political weight to the event. It highlighted the need for practical strategies to protect the rights and interests of youth, promote effective initiatives, and enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation.

In her speech, Tanzila Narbayeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, stressed the need for a fundamental shift in how young people are approached. In other words, youth should not be the object of policy but co-authors of decisions. This requires the systematic involvement of young people not only in discussions but also in shaping laws, budget decisions, and state policy.

The essence of this approach is that it is not enough to simply recognize the rights of young people. It is necessary to turn their rights into real opportunities, create clear mechanisms for their political participation, and effectively implement adopted international documents in national practice.

Ancient Samarkand became the place where these ideas converged. Young parliamentarians from different countries, with diverse experiences and perspectives, were united by the common goal of building a decent life, justice, and a sustainable future for all people.

IPU President Tulia Ackson emphasized that young parliamentarians must take an uncompromising stand against human rights violations and boldly raise the issues of justice and accountability from the parliamentary rostrum. IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong noted that broad youth involvement in decision-making is an important condition for developing effective policy.

Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs and Head of the UN Youth Office, also noted the practical significance of the Samarkand dialogues. He stated that the conference opened new opportunities for developing more effective institutions by integrating the best ideas and experiences of different generations.

The conference agenda effectively highlighted the scale of the challenges facing today’s youth. It included detailed discussions on issues like youth rights during conflicts, digital security and rights, climate change, decent work and employment, political participation of young people and women, and violence prevention.

A key point from the discussions was that in today’s world, young people should not just watch global changes but also actively participate and lead these processes.

From this perspective, issues such as the responsible use of digital transformation and artificial intelligence, combating climate change, and ensuring youth employment are becoming part of today’s policy agenda, not just a matter for future generations.

During the conference’s open dialogues and panel discussions, participants included members of parliaments, the UN, the IPU, civil society organizations, and experts. A dedicated session focused on parliaments’ role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where participants discussed the legislative branch’s capacity to advance national development objectives.

Discussions between the Senate of Uzbekistan and international organizations during the conference also laid an important foundation for new initiatives. The meetings focused on strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, broadening youth involvement in decision-making, expanding youth parliament activities, and increasing the exchange of international experience.

This process also highlighted the consistent development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the IPU. The 150th IPU Anniversary Assembly in Tashkent in 2025 and the country’s hosting of a series of prestigious parliamentary events testify that this cooperation has reached a new level.

One of the most important outcomes of the conference in Samarkand was turning discussions into a concrete document. At the conclusion of the event, the final document of the Samarkand Global Conference was adopted, based on the issues raised and the proposals and initiatives put forward.

In conclusion, the three-day global dialogue in Samarkand was more than a gathering of young parliamentarians. It was a significant step toward shaping new approaches to youth political participation, human rights, and justice, and toward strengthening cooperation around common goals.

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Norgul Abduraimova, photos by Alisher Isroilov, UzA