TASHKENT –- Civil society organisations in Tashkent now have a co-working centre where they "can meet, share information, and work together in an effort to improve civil society in Uzbekistan", the US embassy in Uzbekistan said in a statement Thursday (April 11).
The new facility, which opened Wednesday (April 10), will help develop civil society. Healthy and vigorous discussions strengthen democracy and prevent extremism from gaining space in the public square.
It is situated in the Tashkent office of the Yuksalish Nationwide Movement, an Uzbek NGO.
The co-working centre is available free to all Uzbek citizens. It has computers, video-conferencing technology and other amenities. Civil society activists will be able to hold discussions, boost their skills and conduct other work.
Besides opening the centre, the US Agency for International Development, Yuksalish and the Civil Development Association (ARGO) of Kazakhstan launched the Partnership for Innovations (POI) programme on Wednesday.
POI, a 2-year-programme, "is designed to enhance the role of civil society in Uzbekistan", said the US embassy. It aims to "introduce effective mechanisms to help develop civil society and involve citizens in the public administration of the country".
