ENC hosted a series of events on the EU-Central Asia relationship and disinformation and Russian propaganda in the region
On September 20th, the European Neighbourhood Council brought together a diverse audience for a series of engaging events in Brussels. These events delved into pressing topics in Central Asia and highlighted the importance of international cooperation.
The day started with an enlightening discussion at the event titled “Uzbekistan – The EU’s Strategic Partner in Central Asia” at the European Parliament hosted by MEP and Uzbekistan Rapporteur, Ilhan Kyuchyuk who made the opening remarks by emphasizing Uzbekistan’s pivotal role as the EU’s strategic partner in Central Asia. Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Director of ENC, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the growing significance of this partnership, especially after the war in Ukraine. Key speakers, including Dietmar Krissler (Head of Division for Central Asia at the EEAS), Eldor Tulyakov (Executive Director of the Development Strategy Center and a Member of the Parliament of Uzbekistan), Amanda Paul (Senior Policy Analyst at the EPC), Samuel Doveri Vesterbye (Director of ENC) shared their insights on constitutional reforms, EU-Uzbekistan relations, and potential avenues for cooperation.
The afternoon brought two film screening events, one at Vrije Universiteit Brussels and another at historical Cinema Galeries, under the framework of the REVIVE Project, supported by the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) and implemented by Internews. The first movie screening was dedicated to film “Bunker”, directed by Adilet Makenov. In his opening remarks, Mr. Makenov, emphasized the film’s role in promoting critical thinking and sparking discussions about Central Asia’s media landscape. Following the screening, an engaging Q&A session took place at the university, covering subjects including the accessibility of Western media in Central Asia and the diversity of news sources.
The day concluded with a reception and second film screening event at Cinema Galeries, shedding light on the plight of Crimean Tatars seeking asylum in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Crimean Caravan, a film directed by Ainur Koskina, portrayed the difficulties that Ukrainian Crimea Tatars experienced when they were forced to flee Russian conscription. The event drew nearly 100 attendees, including EU officials, media professionals, and concerned individuals, emphasizing the significance of EU-Central Asia relations.
Our events showcased the crucial role of international cooperation and dialogue in addressing critical issues in Central Asia and beyond.