OSCE supports seminars to promote transparency in Uzbekistan's democratic reforms

A series of seminars that started in Tashkent on 3 May with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan aims to strengthen the skills of staff at Uzbekistan’s state administration agencies and civil society organizations’ information services. Around 60 representatives of ministries and state agencies, as well as major non-governmental institutions are expected to take part in the training events.

The training seminar series was launched with a roundtable meeting that brought together 90 participants who discussed the role of media and information services in publicizing Uzbekistan's democratic reforms.

The aim of the roundtable discussion and the training seminars is to promote dialogue between information services and journalists on the implementation of international and national commitments related to ensuring openness and transparency of the country's ongoing reforms. The seminars will strengthen the skills of state administration bodies' and civil society organizations' information services staff, encourage an information flow that would promote quality media coverage of the activities of state authorities and administration bodies, as well as contribute to public and parliamentary control over their work. The seminars participants will learn about how an effective press section functions, practice public speaking and study how the media legislation can be used for constructive interaction with the press.

The roundtable discussion and the training seminars were organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan jointly with the Public Fund of Support and Development of the Independent Print Media and Informational Agencies of Uzbekistan, and the International In-service Training of Journalists.