Turkiston Palace in Tashkent hosted a solemn ceremony of awarding the winners of the International Competition for the XVI National Award “Oltin Qalam” (Golden Pencil).

The event, dedicated to the World Press Freedom Day, was attended by media representatives, professors, experts, representatives of international organizations and embassies accredited in the country, as well as officials of media associations in several foreign countries.

Chairman of the Creative Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the competition Olimjon Usarov, noted that in recent years, positive changes have taken place in Uzbekistan in the radical reform of the national journalism, ensuring the freedom of speech.

Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Presidential Press Secretary Sherzod Asadov emphasized that priority is given to an objective approach to the events taking place in our country and around the world, its in-depth analysis, the solution of problems through objective criticism. National journalism is becoming a transparent mirror between the people and the state. The issue of training highly qualified personnel for the sphere, further improving the material and technical base of editorial offices, and creating all necessary conditions for journalists to work in a modern and fast format is under the constant attention of the President of Uzbekistan.

As previously reported, in the Press Freedom Index 2022, compiled by the international non-profit and non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders, Uzbekistan improved its rating by 24 positions, rising from 157th to 133rd place. This is one of the practical results of the important steps taken in Uzbekistan to ensure freedom of speech, the formation of mass media expressing public opinion, as a “fourth power”.

This year’s competition was attended by 448 journalists, who submitted about five thousand articles. 

This year, an online evaluation with the participation of the general public has been launched on the official website of the Creative Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan jurnalistlar.uz. A separate page for each participant and an electronic list of participants was formed.

At the ceremony, the main prizes were awarded to the participants who won first, second and third places in the nomination “National Award for the Best Journalistic Material” in television, radio, print media, and Internet journalism.

The main National Award went to the History of Uzbekistan (O’zbekiston Tarikhi) TV Channel (Editor-in-Chief Shuhrat Hayitov). Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Presidential Press Secretary Sherzod Asadov presented the prize to the winner.

At the event, the winners were awarded special statuettes, diplomas, and cash prizes.

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N. Usmanova, photos by N. Khaydarov, O. Pardayev, UzA