Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - From 20 to 26 November, the republican stage of the contest "Young Reader" took place in age groups from 10 to 14, from 15 to 19 and from 20 to 30 years.

The competition was organized by the Central Council of the Youth Union of Uzbekistan, the Union of Writers of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education and the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan in the framework of five important initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan. The competition was attended by 42 young children who passed the regional stages of the competition in three age categories.

The main goal of the competition is to study the unique literary heritage, life and social activities of our great writers and thinkers, to educate our youth in the spirit of self-awareness, respect for national and universal values and the development of a reading culture among the young generation of the country.

The participants of the republican stage competition competed in the following four directions:

“Expert in Uzbek literature”;

“Expert in world literature”;

"Poetry";

"Great thinkers and writers."

In 2017, 250,000 participants took part in this competition, 720,000 participants in 2019, and the number of participants reached 1 210 399 in 2019 (533 049 in the age group from 10 to 14 years old, 469 350 in the age category from 15 to 19 years old, 208,000 in the age group of 20 to 30 years).

According to the results of the competition in the age category of 10 to 14 years, the winner was Otabek Eshpulatov from Tashkent region, the second place was given to Gulsan Abdulakimova from Samarkand, the third place was awarded to Umidjon Shakhobov from Bukhara.

The age category from 15 to 19 years was completed with the following results: Shakhzoda Karimboeva from the Republic of Karakalpakistan took 1st place, 2nd place was taken by Farangiz Isakova from Bukhara, 3rd place was Nigora Askaralieva from Tashkent region.

The age category from 20 to 30 years was completed with the following results, the first place was taken by Surayo Shodieva from Kashkadarya region, the second place was taken by Nazokat Jabbarova from Namangan, the third place was taken by Gulkhayo Eshmonova.

The winners of the competition who won the first place will receive a diploma and a presidential gift - a Chevrolet Spark car, the winners of the second place will receive a diploma and a computer kit, and the winners of the third place will receive a unique collection of books in addition to the diploma!

The contest "Young Reader" was founded in the framework of 5 important initiatives to improve the spirituality and meaningful leisure of youth put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.