Youth of Uzbekistan – the golden generation destined to write a new chapter in the country’s history
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a speech on the occasion of Youth Day, celebrated on June 30. Congratulating the youth of Uzbekistan, the Head of State expressed confidence in the talent of the younger generation and admiration for their achievements.
It was noted that the conditions being created for youth in the country are already yielding tangible results. Last year, Uzbekistan ranked first in Central Asia in the number of students admitted to the world’s top 500 universities. Today, 30 young men and women are studying at top-10 universities, 500 at top-100, and 1,500 at top-300 institutions.
In addition to achievements in education, Uzbekistan youth are demonstrating outstanding results in sports and culture. A particular source of pride is the national football team, which, for the first time in history, secured a place in the World Cup.
“If great thinkers shaped the eras of the First and Second Renaissances, then today, history passes the torch to the youth. You are capable of raising the flag of Uzbekistan high in all spheres. You are the golden generation, destined as the creators of the New Uzbekistan to write a new chapter in its history”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated.
Particular attention is being paid to ensuring youth access to quality education, the study of foreign languages, and the acquisition of modern professions.
As part of the “One Million Coders” initiative, 325,000 young people have already completed training. Just last year alone, 150,000 young men and women obtained international language certificates – twice as many as in 2023.
In 2025, a total of 8,300 projects worth $35 billion will be implemented, resulting in the creation of 292,000 new jobs. Looking ahead, projects valued at $83 billion are planned, with the potential to create half a million new jobs. This will require thousands of specialists in the green economy, industry, energy, engineering, and geology.
At the meeting, the President proposed key initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for the youth.
By Presidential Decree, an International School named after Beruni has been established, where top-performing 8th-grade graduates will receive advanced education in three specialized fields. Additionally, each year, 3,000 of the most promising school students will be selected, including at least 300 from low-income families, to prepare for admission to leading universities such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Cornell.
A new support system will be introduced through the El-Yurt Umidi Foundation for those admitted to prestigious foreign universities who do not receive full scholarships. Quotas in priority fields such as science, technology, energy, architecture, and agriculture will be increased. Commercial banks will begin offering concessional loans of up to $20,000 to young people for study at top-300 universities.
Special attention is being devoted to the development of artificial intelligence. One hundred projects will be implemented in priority sectors, including finance, healthcare, agriculture, and energy. In cooperation with the UAE, the “One Million AI Leaders” program will be launched.
Artificial intelligence training programs will be updated in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and computer science teachers from all regions will undergo specialized training at New Uzbekistan University.
As part of the “Digital Generation: Girls” competition, 120 startup projects in education, artificial intelligence, the green economy, and climate change were selected from among 7,000 schoolgirls and female university students. This year, the project will reach at least 50,000 girls.
A startup support system has been established, within which $145 million in venture capital has already been invested. Soon, the total volume of investments is expected to reach $1 billion. Schools are introducing a “skills and business hour”, under which student startup ideas will receive grants totaling 100 billion UZS.
An annual competition titled “Best Creative Idea” will be held among universities, with winners receiving grants of up to 300 million UZS from university funds.
To support the transformation of startups into prototypes and conduct pilot testing, the Agency for Innovation and the IT Park will establish a Research and Development Center. The Youth Venture Fund will cover up to $50,000 in expenses for the prototyping of the best projects.
A professional development system will also be created for young people engaged in industry, services, entrepreneurship, and agriculture. National competitions will be held in each professional field, ensuring equal participation from both state-owned enterprises and the private sector.
Every year, industry leaders will select 100 young specialists for internships abroad, with each sector allocating 10 billion UZS from its funds to support these initiatives.
Two separate programs have been adopted to support the employment of school graduates and university students. In this regard, Aloqabank and the National Bank have received resources totaling $300 million. Under the “Youth Business” program, 100,000 young people will be employed, while the “Step into the Future” program will provide jobs for 140,000 university graduates.
By the end of the year, the Ministry of Employment, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the National Bank will launch a digital platform to connect university, technical school, and vocational college graduates with employers. An electronic system called “Income on the Move” will also be introduced to engage 3 million young people during school holidays in non-skilled types of work.
Over the past seven years, the composition of managerial personnel has become significantly younger: the proportion of leaders under the age of 40 has risen from 37 to 65 percent. Last month, the President signed a decree on preparing promising personnel and their involvement in the public administration system.
At the Academy of Public Administration, 100 gifted young individuals will annually be enrolled in the “Leaders of the Future” program. Each participant will be assigned a mentor from among ministers and hokims and provided with opportunities for international internships. Graduates of the program will be considered primary candidates for leadership positions.
Fostering a love for books, the arts, and culture plays a vital role in youth development. Winners of relevant competitions will be allowed to perform in schools in remote districts. For this purpose, hokimiyats have been instructed to provide one bus each.
Winners of national competitions will be granted admission privileges to higher education institutions in culture and the arts. Winners of the regional stage of the “Iqtidor” school ensemble competition will receive free education at children’s schools of art and music.
The issue of fostering patriotism among youth and protecting them from harmful influences remains highly relevant. A significant contribution to this goal is the recently unveiled monument “Patriots of the Nation” in Tashkent’s Victory Park. It bears the names of 196 service members and law enforcement officers who heroically gave their lives for the peace and security of the homeland. It was noted that visiting this sacred site strengthens young people’s sense of love and devotion to their country.
Uzbekistan’s youth policy has received high recognition at the international level. The country is among the top ten states most actively implementing the UN’s Youth 2030 Strategy. According to the Youth Development Index, Uzbekistan has been recognized as the fastest-growing country.
The city of Bukhara has been granted the status of Youth Capital of the Turkic World, while Tashkent has been named the Youth Capital of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
These days, the Global Youth Festival is taking place nationwide. It was noted that this forum has become an effective platform for exchanging experiences and strengthening international cooperation among young people.
The President emphasized his pride in the knowledge and talent of Uzbekistan’s youth.
“Each of your achievements is an achievement of our entire nation. Your determination, sound outlook, happiness, and success are also the happiness of millions of parents, mentors, and loved ones”, the Head of State stated.
UzA