The Committee on Religious Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The first meeting of the heads of state authorities for religious affairs of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is being held in the city of Shusha, Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Republic of Uzbekistan is represented by a delegation headed by Sodiq Toshboyev, Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs.

The meeting is also attended by Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States; Safi Arpaguş, President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) of the Republic of Türkiye; Rustam Ali, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Talantbek Tashibekov, Director of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic; as well as heads of the competent state authorities responsible for religious affairs and official delegations from the OTS member states.

Opening the event, Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Work with Religious Organizations, welcomed the participants to Shusha, widely recognized as the cultural capital of the Turkic world. He emphasized that this meeting would contribute to strengthening institutional cooperation among the state authorities responsible for religious affairs within the Organization of Turkic States, promoting the exchange of experience, and establishing new mechanisms for cooperation.

He further noted that contemporary challenges such as radicalism, extremism, Islamophobia, incitement to religious hatred, and ideological manipulation can only be effectively addressed through close cooperation and coordinated joint efforts.

It was also emphasized that the dialogue platform established in Shusha would facilitate the exchange of information and best practices among state authorities for religious affairs, preserve shared spiritual values, and strengthen ideological security.

During the meeting, participants exchanged views and proposals on a range of topical issues, including enhancing cooperation among Turkic states in the field of religious affairs, combating extremism and radicalism, promoting healthy spiritual and moral values among young people, and expanding the exchange of experience.

In his address, Sodiq Toshboyev, Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, put forward several initiatives aimed at strengthening the legal framework for cooperation in the fields of religion and religious education. These included the establishment of a working group comprising representatives of the relevant authorities of OTS member states, expanding academic exchange among religious educational institutions, implementing joint scientific research projects, and promoting pilgrimage tourism.

The meeting continues with discussions focused on strengthening solidarity among the member states, enhancing cooperation in countering radicalism and extremism, and expanding the exchange of information and experience.

Committee on Religious Affairs
Information Service