The Samarkand Spirit creates a qualitatively new format of international cooperation on human rights

On June 13-14, 2024, the IV Samarkand Forum on Human Rights was held in ancient and eternally young Samarkand. This authoritative forum, which has been held every two years since 2018 on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the UN General Assembly, this time was devoted to the theme "Environmental problems: the future of human rights in a changing world, the search for sustainable solutions."

The event, held in online and offline formats, was attended by more than 200 representatives of international, regional, foreign and national organizations, leading independent experts. The forum was attended, in particular, by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment Astrid Puentes Riano, Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Anne Marie Skelton and Chairman of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Laura-Maria Krachunyan-Tattoo artists and representatives of seven specialized UN organizations. Representatives of the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the CIS, the SCO, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence—building Measures in Asia, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and National Human Rights Institutions of more than 20 foreign countries - in total over 70 foreign participants also made presentations and participated in the forum with their opinions and proposals. 
The greeting of the President of Uzbekistan to the participants of the IV traditional Samarkand Forum on Human Rights was read out at the forum. The participants stated that this message gave a special "constructive, working spirit" to the work of the forum and caused a deep discussion of topical issues on the agenda. In particular, the Turkish Representative for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Sheref Malkoch stated: "The opinions and ideas expressed in the message of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the conference are of particular importance not only for the people of Uzbekistan or Central Asia, but also for the whole world. I think the opinions and constructive proposals of the leader of Uzbekistan are very valuable and programmatic for our activities."
Three plenary sessions, rich in heated discussions, organized within the framework of the IV Samarkand Forum on Human Rights, made it possible to discuss issues related to the impact of climate change on human rights on a large scale and on the basis of information analysis. A symbolic "Human Rights Park" has been created in Samarkand. A ceremony was held to award four representatives of foreign countries working in the field of human rights with the badge "For the protection of human rights".
How does the "Samarkand spirit" manifest itself in the context of ensuring human rights?
First, the world community recognizes the New Uzbekistan as a country that actively promotes initiatives aimed at ensuring human rights in the Asian region and at the global level.
The conference participants stressed that the Asian Forum on Human Rights, which was held in Uzbekistan for the first time in 2018, brought a unique "Samarkand spirit" to world practice. These forums, dedicated to the most pressing human rights issues, have acquired a traditional character and have shown that they are always devoted to a specific urgent problem and serve to find a solution to it.
In particular, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, the IV Samarkand Forum has become a free and constructive forum for developing strategies aimed at sustainable solutions and prospects for human rights in the context of climate change, increasing environmental threats: "The triple planetary crisis — climate change, loss of biological diversity and environmental pollution — affects everyone. This is a crisis not only for our planet, but also for human rights. Environmental disasters directly affect the rights to health, food, water and sanitation, and even the right to life.
The Central Asian region is very well aware of the effects of climate change. Nowhere has there been such an environmental disaster as in the Aral Sea. I witnessed this myself when I was in Uzbekistan last year. Once the Aral Sea was one of the largest lakes in the world, now it is almost gone.
When I visited Uzbekistan in March last year, I was personally impressed by the strong will of people to solve human rights problems, including environmental problems. For example, I welcome the fact that Uzbekistan was the first in Central Asia to join the UN European Protocol on Water and Health."
At the UN General Assembly and the UN Climate Change Conference, F. The Turkic Republic has also put forward important initiatives to address climate-related issues, including migration and resettlement, as well as to increase the participation of young people in solving environmental problems.
"I welcome the fruitful discussion of the existing problems at the Samarkand Forum and the definition of measures to solve them," he said.
Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, noted: "Today, environmental issues have become a part of our daily lives. In fact, the problems of the environment and the protection of human rights are inextricably linked. Environmental degradation threatens other basic human rights. In particular, this risk can have a serious negative impact on the most important rights such as health, nutrition, education, the right to housing and even the right to life.
On the one hand, climate change and a sharp increase in air temperature cause drought and desertification, abnormal precipitation and floods, and on the other hand, various natural disasters, deterioration of agricultural land and infrastructure, as well as negatively affect the lives of the most vulnerable segments of the population.
At the same time, extreme weather events also cause an increase in various migration-related problems. I am confident that the IV Samarkand Forum on Human Rights will become a successful platform in the search for sustainable solutions that will help ensure human rights. In this regard, the recommendations of the Samarkand Declaration should be of crucial programmatic importance not only in the OSCE region, but also at the global level, and such free and intensive discussions should continue and turn into practical efforts."
Sheref Malkoch: "Uzbekistan has been developing dynamically in recent years. Positive changes are being felt in all areas. The creation of such a prestigious forum in Samarkand, one of the centers of world civilization — the capital of the state of Amir Temur, where such great geniuses as Imam Bukhari and Imam Moturudi lived, has its own symbolic significance. After all, the Spirit of Samarkand creates the basis for the continuation of our international cooperation in the field of radically reducing the damage caused to human rights due to climate change, which all mankind is facing."
According to him, there is an acute environmental situation in the world, which has a direct negative impact on people's basic rights, such as life, health, nutrition, clean drinking water and safe housing. Growing problems such as environmental pollution, loss of biodiversity and declining agricultural productivity have become global threats of the modern era, and countries need to work together to dramatically reduce them.
According to the UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan Sabina Mahl: "In fact, as noted in the address of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the IV Samarkand Forum, due to global climate change, a difficult environmental situation has arisen on our planet. Problems such as lack of drinking water, environmental pollution, soil erosion, severe dust and sand storms, loss of biodiversity, and reduced agricultural productivity are increasing.
In this regard, this conference serves as a platform for coordinating new promising projects and determining plans for the future together with experts. All people have the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Human rights and environmental issues are closely interrelated. Therefore, a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is necessary for the full realization of a wide range of human rights such as life, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, among others."
Secondly, climate change and environmental crises have become the main obstacle and threat to achieving Sustainable Development Goals at the global, regional and national levels.
It was noted at the forum that Central Asia is becoming one of the regions of the world where various environmental threats have increased due to climate change. Dangers and threats such as drastic reduction of water resources, melting of glaciers, abnormal increase in air temperature, land erosion due to drought and increased desertification are increasing in the region.
In this sense, the forum participants emphasized that a number of Uzbekistan's initiatives in this regard were supported by the UN General Assembly, relevant resolutions were adopted, and stressed their importance.
In particular, it was noted that the tasks defined in such important resolutions adopted at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan as "Declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovation and technology" and "Central Asia in the face of environmental problems: strengthening regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity" serve to ensure global and regional sustainable development.
The initiative of the President of Uzbekistan to develop and promote the next UN General Assembly resolution "On the protection of human rights while combating the negative effects of climate change in Central Asia" was not only enthusiastically supported, but also emphasized its great importance in solving problems in this area at the global level.