Bonn, Germany— A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Shirin Abidova, Adviser to the Director of the Youth Affairs Agency, met with UNV’s Executive Coordinator, Toily Kurbanov, during the Asian Partner Roundtable at the United Nations Campus in Bonn on 12–13 May 2026.
Held during International Volunteer Year 2026, the Roundtable will focus on how volunteer action can strengthen solidarity and practical cooperation in the region and globally.
The Uzbek delegation presented the President’s volunteer development programme under the “Youth of New Uzbekistan 2030” strategy, which focuses on making volunteering open to more people, working through mahallas (self-governing bodies that serve as a bridge between the people and the state), and bringing young people together through international events.
Shirin Abidova, Adviser to the Director of the Youth Affairs Agency, said: “For us, volunteerism is not only a form of civic engagement, but also an important tool for developing human capital, strengthening international cooperation and fostering youth leadership. We highly value our partnership with UNV and see the Full Funding programme as an opportunity for Uzbek professionals and young leaders to represent our country internationally while gaining valuable global experience.”
Toily Kurbanov, UNV Executive Coordinator, said: “Uzbekistan’s Full Funding partnership is a strong step in putting the country on the regional and global volunteerism map. IVY 2026 can help turn that momentum into resilient systems for volunteers.”
The discussion covered Uzbekistan’s participation in the UNV Full Funding programme, which began in November 2025. The first three international UN Volunteers will start their assignments in August in Qatar, Singapore and Türkiye, focusing on youth employment, the environment, and artificial intelligence.