ISLAMABAD, Sep 26: Uzbekistan is preparing to host the “5th Samarkand Forum on Human Rights” on September 28–29th, 2026, bringing together international experts, representatives of global and regional organizations, government institutions, national human rights bodies, academics and civil society representatives to discuss pressing issues related to human rights, sustainable development and international cooperation.
The forum will be held in Tashkent and Samarkand under the theme, “60 Years of the International Covenants on Human Rights and 40 Years of the Declaration on the Right to Development: A Global Partnership for Dignity, Equality and Sustainable Development” said a release issued here on Saturday.
The event comes as the international community marks two important anniversaries in the development of the global human rights system.
In 2026, it will be 60 years since the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966.
The year also marks the 40th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, which recognizes the right of individuals and peoples to participate in, contribute to and benefit from economic, social, cultural and political development.
Against this backdrop, the Samarkand Forum is expected to provide a platform for discussions on strengthening international cooperation and advancing approaches that place human dignity, equality and sustainable development at the center of human rights policies.
Over the past decade, Uzbekistan has promoted international forums in Samarkand focused on contemporary human rights challenges. The country has described these gatherings as part of its broader engagement with international dialogue on human rights.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has previously highlighted the significance of the Asian Forum on Human Rights, which was held in Uzbekistan for the first time in 2018, describing its contribution as bringing a distinctive “Samarkand spirit” to global human rights discussions.
The upcoming fifth edition is being organized around the anniversary of key international human rights instruments and is intended to facilitate dialogue among policymakers, experts and civil society on the implementation and further development of international human rights standards.
Organizers say the central idea of the forum is to strengthen global partnership for human dignity, equality and sustainable development.
The September gathering is therefore expected to serve as an opportunity to reflect on six decades of the International Covenants, four decades of the Right to Development Declaration, and the continuing importance of international cooperation in addressing contemporary human rights challenges.
