Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – 6 April is International Day of Sports for Peace and Development. On this day, we celebrate the importance of sport and its role in achieving peaceful goals and social development. Sport is not just competition and entertainment, it is a powerful tool for changing the world.

Sport unites people of different cultures and nationalities, overcoming borders and differences. It is able to establish dialogue and increase mutual understanding between countries and peoples. Sports events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and other competitions bring people from all over the world together in a common goal of success and global solidarity.

Sport not only brings people together, it can also be a powerful tool to achieve social development. He can promote a healthy lifestyle, fight drug addiction, crime and other social problems.

In addition, sport can lead to economic development. It can be used to attract tourists and investors, creating new jobs and boosting the economy. Sports events are becoming a platform for the development of technology and innovation, as well as for the exchange of experience and knowledge between countries.

In this context, the policy of Uzbekistan is aimed at sustainable development, in which the development of sports and physical culture occupies an important place.

In recent years, significant work has been carried out in Uzbekistan to develop sports infrastructure and popularize sports among young people. So, in 2019, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward 5 important initiatives aimed at increasing attention to young people, their wide involvement in culture, art and sports, developing skills in using information technology, promoting reading books among the younger generation and ensuring women’s employment .

The second initiative from the above mentioned is the physical training of young people, the creation of the necessary conditions for the manifestation of their abilities in sports, within the framework of which events are carried out to promote and develop sports and a healthy lifestyle among millions of young people from all regions of the republic, such as: “Sport always wins”, events to promote a healthy lifestyle, meetings of schoolchildren with famous athletes.

In 2019-2020, about 610 marathons and more than 815 public walks were held under the slogan "We are for a healthy lifestyle" among preschool teachers, secondary school students, vocational education students, students of higher educational institutions, medical workers. These sporting events were attended by 2.8 million people, of which 1.2 million were women.

In order to increase the interest of schoolchildren and young people in sports and to involve them in physical education and sports, meetings with famous athletes are held on an ongoing basis. Over the past years, more than 1 thousand meetings have been held, athletes also conduct master classes and trainings.

Headquarters have also been set up in districts and cities. For residents of microdistricts, including young people, conditions have been created for playing sports in sports institutions of general education schools, after extra-curricular sports sections.

The Ministry of Youth Policy and Sports has launched such events as “We are supporters of a healthy lifestyle”, the “Hokim Cup”, “Youth Marathon” campaigns, as well as weekly sports competitions aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people, preventing diseases such as drug addiction , alcoholism, as well as attracting the general population to physical education.

For the purpose of physical education of the population, mass physical exercises are carried out in the mornings in microdistricts, villages, parks, enterprises and institutions. 21 percent of the republic’s population takes part in the morning workout (of which 10.1 percent are women).

Such events create the basis for the effective use of sports facilities, the development of physical culture and sports, the popularization of active game sports and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in our society.

The magnificent achievement of the youth team of Uzbekistan in March 2023 - the victory in the AFC U-20 Cup - serves as a vivid example of the high results and success of the sports youth of our country.

In conclusion, it should be noted that sports events contribute to uniting people, supporting a healthy lifestyle, promoting sports values and combating negative phenomena in society. It is important to continue to develop the sports infrastructure and sports movement around the world so that sport becomes accessible to everyone and continues to bring benefit and joy to people’s lives.

Chief Research Fellow of the International Institute of Central Asia Ibrat Abdumalikov