How Uzbekistan supports creative youth

---

There is a deep meaning in the wise words of our enlightened poet Abdulhamid Cholpan: "If literature lives, the nation lives." Our Honorable President repeatedly says that "Literature is the heart of the people". He pays great attention to literature and always supports writers.

 The development of literature in New Uzbekistan, which our people are building with determination and intelligence, is a priority of state policy. After all, in today's complex  times, the importance of the art of speech in understanding the national identity, preserving and enriching noble values, and raising the spirituality of the young generation is incomparable.

One of the main tasks of the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan is to find young talents, work with young artists, realize their talents and provide them with all-round support.  In our country, we are not limited to a number of effective projects launched in the past years in order to help young artists to realize their talents. All favorable conditions are being created for the free creativity of talented and promising young poets and writers.

  The Zomin seminar of young artists of the republic, which operated from the very beginning, but for certain reasons ceased its work in recent years, was revived in 2017 on the initiative of the head of our state. Since then, regional and republican stages of this seminar-council are held regularly. In 2019-2023, 840 young artists took part in the regional stages of the seminar, and 420 in the republican ones. Every year, the participants are awarded with valuable gifts from sponsoring organizations such as Writers' Union, JSC "Khalq Bank", Jizzakh Regional Government, Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan and Navoi Mine-Metallurgical Combine Joint-Stock Company. In the last 5 years, 3 collective collections of the first works of the participants of the regional stages, 106 first books of the participants of the republican stages were published at the expense of the Writers' Union. Their total number is 440,000. 

The Zomin seminar-council of young artists of the republic has gained attention and recognition among writers of the young and older generation, as well as the general public, thanks to the practical support provided to the participants and winners. For this reason, many young artists are working diligently on themselves and conducting serious creative research in order to participate in this seminar.

The most important aspect of the seminar is that the first works of the participating young artist will be analyzed by experienced and qualified experts. They give insight into the achievements and shortcomings of a young artist. From this, young people draw the necessary conclusions for their creative future.

In our country, the work of supporting young artists is being continued consistently. In 2022, the "Do‘rmon Bahori" (Spring of Dormon) international seminar-council was organized based on the order of the head of our country. 9 young Russian-speaking writers living and working in our country and the countries of Central Asia took part in it, 8 in 2023, 14 this year, a total of 31 talented young writers. Among them, the first books of 2 talented young artists were recommended for publication and published as books. The main goal of "Do‘rmon Bahori" is to support young writers who write in Russian in our country, to realize their works.

In our country, special attention is paid to publishing the works of young writers of other nationalities. Poems and stories of young talents who write in Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Azerbaijan, Tajik, and Russian languages have been translated into Uzbek, and the collective collection includes 4 young writers in Kazakh, 3 in Tajik, 7 in Karakalpak, and 5 in Russian. Their works were published in book form. In the "My first book" series, books of 2 young Russian writers were published.

Reforms and updates in the field of literature in Uzbekistan are reflected in new literary projects and events.This year, for the first time, an international forum of young artists of Turkic countries was organized in Bukhara. A total of 9 young artists from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan took part in it. In order to strengthen the literary relations with neighboring countries in the future, concrete plans have been drawn up to continue the "Do‘rmon Bahori" and the international forum of young artists of the Turkic countries in the traditional way.

Another important event happened in 2022. Young artists from Central Asian countries gathered for a seminar in Tashkent. Young artists from all states of the region took part in it.

According to the Memorandum of Cooperation concluded between the Writers' Unions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, in 2021, in Kazakhstan, one hundred poems of 25 young Uzbek poets, and in 2022, in Uzbekistan, one hundred poems of 20 young Kazakh poets, called "100 O‘lan" (100 Songs) books were published.

It should be noted that since 2019, 25 talented creative girls have received the Zulfia state prize in the field of literature. They are actively involved in social life and are progressing in studies and work.

“Alisher Navoiy asarlari bilimdoni” (Connoisseur of Alisher Navoi's works), “ Bobur asarlari bilimdoni” (Connoisseur of Babur's works), “Eng yaxshi g’azalxon” (The Best Ghazal reader), “Eng yaxshi kitobxon” (The Best Book Reader) in order to identify and encourage the talent of students who have shown their creative abilities in secondary schools based on the cooperation established between the Union of Writers of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Preschool and School Education contests are organized and the winners are supported materially and morally.

In order to encourage creative students studying in creative schools named after famous writers, a collection called “Ijod bog’idan guldasta” (Bouquet from the Garden of Creativity) was published, which includes their first poetic and prose works.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Culture, the Union of Writers published books in the spirit of military patriotism in the “Mard askarga sovg’a" (Gift to a Brave Soldier) series in 2023 in 11 titles in a total number of 33,000 copies, and in 2024 in 7 titles in a total number of 100,000 copies for servicemen of the Armed Forces and cadets of military educational institutions and delivered to military units.

 Last year in 2023, on the initiative of our President, the literary-educational evenings called "Vatan manzumasi" (Singing the motherland), which were held for the first time in our capital Tashkent and in all regions, and are being held with great success these days, became one of the events that attracted all layers of young people.

It is noteworthy that many talented young writers participate in these literary evenings. Based on the principle that "the people and the army are one and the same soul", members of the Writers' Union, students and pupils, youth representatives are invited to these events in order to further strengthen unity among artists and military personnel.

Master classes of well-known poets and writers are held in the "Onajonim, sheryat!" (Dear mother, poetry), "Umid" (Hope), "Dilko'prik" (Soul bridge), and "Nigoh" (Glance) circles operating under the association. This is important for the development of the skills of young artists.

Starting from 2021, creative circles called “Xiyobon oqshomlari” (Alley Evenings) were organized under the association. Such creative circles are becoming more important in terms of developing love for literature in the hearts of young people, discovering and supporting talented artists, and promoting book reading.

Since 2022, such creative projects have been launched regularly in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and regions.

In the next 5 years, the admission of 48 young artists, who are actively creating in various literary genres, to the membership of the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan was an important step in encouraging young writers.

It is of great importance to study and widely promote Uzbek classic and modern literature, to analyze it in connection with the complex processes taking place today, and to draw the necessary conclusions.

In this sense, the festival dedicated to the unique work of the Hero of Uzbekistan, People's Poet of Uzbekistan Erkin Vahidov, which was held for the first time in Bostanliq district of Tashkent region on May 23 of this year, was held in the style of a unique literature and art holiday.

 The conference has become a new literary space that unites young artists around a common goal. The head of our state congratulated the participants of this festival and emphasized that it is appropriate to hold this festival every year in a traditional manner. It is important that such conferences play an important role in educating young men and women to be true patriots and humanitarians.

We believe that today's young artists, who are confidently striving for the future under the care of our state, will enjoy the spiritual springs of great mentors such as Erkin Vahidov, Abdulla Oripov, Halima Khudoyberdieva, Omon Matjon, Muhammad Yusuf, and will continue their honorable path.  

Sirojiddin Sayyid,

Chairman of the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan,

People's poet of Uzbekistan,

Member of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis