On 27 August 2026, Tashkent hosted the “National Dialogue”, an event aimed at strengthening cooperation among the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, journalists, and bloggers.

The event reviewed the activities carried out and the results achieved within UNESCO’s capacity-building programme for judges and prosecutors in Uzbekistan.

The opening session featured remarks by Sara Noshadi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan, Ursula Keller Alazawwi, Deputy Head of SDC, and Sherzod Abdukodirov, Rector of the Academy of Justice, who emphasized the importance of cooperation in this area.

In particular, Rector Sh. Abdukodirov noted that projects implemented jointly with UNESCO have played an important role in strengthening the knowledge and skills of judges and legal professionals in the areas of freedom of expression, the right of access to information, effective communication with journalists, and the application of international standards in judicial practice.

It was noted that in 2025–2026, training sessions were conducted for 310 judges and academic staff across 10 regions of Uzbekistan, and a special training module on freedom of expression and access to information for judges was developed.

The event also featured an exchange of views on journalist safety, artificial intelligence, and the rule of law, while further areas of cooperation were identified.