In the years of independence, First President Islam Karimov’s idea “Our children must be stronger, smarter, wiser and certainly happier than us” turned into a national goal. Today work in this area is in progress even on a larger scale.

In the years of independence, First President Islam Karimov’s idea “Our children must be stronger, smarter, wiser and certainly happier than us” turned into a national goal. Today work in this area is in progress even on a larger scale. And so the country’s young people are taking an active part in reforms being implemented for the further extension of democratization and civil society formation.

This has found expression in the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. More than 555 thousand young men and girls who reached the age of 18 by election day have exercised their constitutional right and voted for the first time.

We have established online contact with some young people who achieved weighty success in various spheres and asked them to tell us about the first elections in their lives.

A student of the Bukhara state university, three-times rhythmic gymnastics champion of Uzbekistan and a laureate of the Zulfiya state award, Gulnoza Aliyeva, says: “Thanks to possibilities given by independence, young people of Uzbekistan are achieving great successes in all spheres, including sports, raising high the flag of our Motherland. Today I went to polling station No 13 in Bukhara and voted for the candidate who I think will make an effort for our people’s interests and most importantly who cares about young people. I am sure that my vote is also of important significance to our country’s future and to my life.”

A student of the Yakkabogh food industry and services vocational college in Qashqadaryo Region, Akhror Nizomov, has been lucky this year. He achieved second place in an international contest of young pianists in Belarus and won at international festivals in Russia and China.

“There were a large number of people at polling station No 673 in our district from the morning. People were talking about the electoral programmes of candidates. Taking part in voting, I realized that my vote was also of significance to our country’s future, and so made a responsible approach to the voting” Akhror Nizomov says.

“As a result of favourable conditions created for young people in our country, I won at the republican stages of the `Kamalak yulduzlari’ children’s festival of creativity and the `Yurt kelajagi’ contest as well as in track-and-field athletics and chess and checkers tournaments. In the elections, I voted for the continuation of these peaceful and prosperous times so that young people live happily and look to the future with confidence,” says a student of an academic lyceum under the Karakalpak state university in north-western Uzbekistan, Ayjamal Karamatdinova.

“I was awarded a certificate of merit for actively participating in the `My vote – the Motherland’s future’ campaign conducted by the Kamolot public youth movement. Voting at polling station No 909 in Samarqand, I felt proud that my vote was also of significance to the election of the state’s new president who will continue great reforms started by our country’s First President,” says a student of academic lyceum No 2 under the Samarqand institute of economics and services, Dilshoda Tursunova.

The rising political awareness and activeness of young people of Uzbekistan were evident in the presidential elections.