Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The 15th meeting of the Youth Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Tashkent in a hybrid format under the chairmanship of the Uzbek side, Dunyo news agency reported.

The parties exchanged views on the current situation and prospects for cooperation within the SCO in the development of the youth movement. The SCO member states discussed issues of increasing the role of youth in the economic and social growth and development of the SCO states among developing countries in the modern information age and the process of globalization, strengthening and raising youth cooperation to a new level. 

The sides got acquainted with reports containing specific facts and results on a wide range of opportunities and benefits provided to young people by the SCO member countries. On the eve of Iran obtaining the status of a SCO member state, an initiative was discussed to start working with the relevant departments of this country on the issue of inviting it to participate in the activities of the Youth Council.

Welcoming the participants of the meeting, Director of the Agency for Youth Affairs Alisher Sadullayev announced several initiatives within the framework of the SCO for 2022. In particular, Alisher Sadullayev proposed holding a startup championship on an annual basis, taking into account the successful holding of the SCO Unicorns startup project competition in Tashkent. “We also plan to hold a youth congress of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Tashkent and Bukhara,” said Alisher Sadullayev. “In addition, there will be a Forum of Intellectual Youth of Uzbekistan and India, as well as an international chess tournament within the framework of the SCO Youth Council.”

At the meeting, the SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming delivered a welcoming speech in an online format, who, in particular, stressed:

- The Youth Council is the main platform for implementing the consensus reached by the SCO countries on youth issues. We express the hope that he will continue to carry out active work aimed at uniting young people from the member states of the Organization under the banner of the "Shanghai spirit", to promote the healthy growth of the younger generation, thereby contributing to the development and prosperity of the SCO region.

Within the framework of the meeting, a solemn ceremony of awarding the winners of the final stage of the competition "SCO Unicorns: competition of the best start-up projects among SCO youth" took place.

The competition was attended by talented youth from the SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners, in the direction of the best start-ups, as well as activists of the Youth Council of the SCO member states. Assisting young people in the implementation of their start-up projects for the benefit of the development of the region through a competition is a huge step towards stimulating young people.

As a result of the meeting, the Protocol was signed, and the SCO Cooperation Program in the Field of Youth for 2022-2023 was approved.

It should be noted that on the territory of the SCO, where more than 3.2 billion people currently live, young people make up more than 55%.