Opening remarks by the UN Resident Coordinator Antje Grawe at Yntymak Week.

Excellency, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Mr. Akylbek Japarov,

Distinguished representatives of the Government and other State institutions,

Dear representatives of civil society, media, development partners, and peacebuilders,

Dear UN colleagues,

It is an immense honor to celebrate together with you the remarkable launch of Yntymak Week in Kyrgyzstan, organized around the occasion of International Peace Day, by a group of enthusiastic peacebuilders, whom I salute. I extend my warmest welcome to everyone who has gathered here to remind us all of the values of peace, cooperation, and unity, as world leaders gather in New York for the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) under the theme “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity”.

We are privileged to be joined by so many esteemed individuals and organizations who have tirelessly worked towards the promotion and sustainment of peace, not only in Kyrgyzstan but on the regional and global scales too. Your dedication and passion for peace serve as an inspiration to us all.

During the week, we keenly await to hear inspiring stories of peacebuilding endeavors undertaken by many partners in various sectors. In that sense, Yntymak Week is a forum where anyone, be it State partners, civil society organizations, development agencies, or individuals, can acquaint themselves with the best fitting approaches, to further enrich and apply as relevant in future.

Yntymak Week presents an opportunity for people of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to jointly and critically reflect on the lessons learnt of what has worked, and what has not, in peacebuilding endeavors. We hope that this exchange of experiences will turn into a culture that will strengthen cooperation and synergies, contributing to a shared impact of many stakeholders in the field. We hope it will inspire, and be inspired by the country’s youth.

Yntymak Week is a time when we are reminded about the importance of dialogue, understanding, and compassion in building a harmonious society. Friendships, as mentioned by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers just now, play a substantial role in this regard.

In that context, while we gather here to celebrate significant achievements in peacebuilding, it is also an opportune moment and platform to engage in discussions about the prominent challenges to peace, both in the country and on a broader scale. Yntymak Week offers us an opportunity to deliberate and come up with solutions on the issues we confront, whether it’s the shrinking civic space, debates and divisions rooted in values and identities, or the detrimental consequences of regional and global conflicts, most notably the war in Ukraine as a result of the invasion of the country.

At the United Nations, we firmly believe that peace is not just the absence of violent conflict. It is a dynamic and transformative force that can uplift societies and improve the lives of individuals, requiring constant engagement of the whole of society and the State.

This platform provides me with an excellent opportunity to speak briefly about the New Agenda for Peace that was launched by the UN Secretary-General in July this year. I encourage you all to familiarize yourselves with the Agenda. The idea of conflict prevention and peace building is at the heart of the document. It emphasizes the importance for all UN Member States to define strategies to prevent existing risks to peace from escalating, and what steps various partners can take to prevent violent conflicts. In this context, I am confident that many of the strategies that will be presented at the Yntymak Week will provide ready-made responses that are relevant and adapted to the specific local context. My hope in this context is that conflict prevention and the building of mutual trust will also be the overriding approach in relation to the resolution of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border issues. 

In pursuit of peacebuilding objectives, the United Nations, in partnership with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and civil society, have implemented dozens of projects funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund since 2010. These projects have encompassed various dimensions, including accountable governance, women and youth empowerment and promotion of the rule of law, all aimed at creating the conditions for lasting peace and stability.

Currently, the UN is actively supporting initiatives aimed at fostering social cohesion, utilizing a broad interpretation of the Kyrgyz Zharany civic identity concept as an entry point. These efforts include strengthening trust between the State and its citizens, as well as facilitating cooperation among border communities, with current efforts concentrated along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border areas. I hope we will soon be able to support similar activities along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

Women have played a central role in UN peacebuilding interventions in Kyrgyzstan. Programmes financed by the UN’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) have actively encouraged women and girls’ involvement in preventing violent extremism, for instance. Women have acted as catalysts for change, making local elections more inclusive and equitable, through their participation. The latest PBF investment, focused on Batken oblast, aims to empower women-led civil society organizations, enabling them to contribute to reducing climate-related security risks in the region. Additionally, a cross-border program with Uzbekistan is promoting the engagement of women and youth in natural resource management.

In closing, I express my hope that Yntymak Week will serve as an engaging, informative, and constructive platform for the exchange of information, views, and discussion of vital development issues, establishment of partnerships, and identification of effective solutions for peace and development in Kyrgyzstan.

I wish all organizers and participants of Yntymak Week productive and successful endeavors, both during this week and in future initiatives dedicated to the peace and development of Kyrgyzstan.

Thank you. Chon Rahmat.