November 19, 2010
Every year a series of youth programs of national scale seeking to support talented youngsters are run under the aegis of the Fund Forum. The number of people from across the country applying to the programs is growing year after year. In 2010, as many as 2,640 people participated in the Educational Grants Program while the figure for the Programs of Scholarships for Talented Students reached 1,300 people. The event to honor the winners of these projects as well as the grantees of the Programs of Sports Grants and Young Entrepreneurs Support Program was held on November 19 at the Youth Creativity Palace. The diplomas and certificates were presented by Gulnara Karimova, the Chairperson of the Fund Forum`s Board of Trustees.
The programs in question are known to many people. The one with the longest history is the Educational Grants Program, which was launched six years ago by the Fund Forum and Mehr Nuri Foundation. The project offers an excellent opportunity for applicants who have enrolled in a higher educational institution on a contract basis to get their academic year paid for. As of today, 398 people are currently students at schools of their choice thanks to the Educational Grants Program. This year another 98 boys and girls have joined the ranks of students.
Of notable interest for the youth has been the establishment in 2006 of a Scholarship Program geared for students in their first year of study and making first steps toward achieving their professional goals. The Program of Scholarships for Talented Students has seen 445 junior and senior students receive financial support. As of this year, another 98 students have emerged as winners of the said program.
Equally noteworthy is the fact that these figures reveal emotions, long days of waiting, tears of joy and a sense of victory… Hundreds of talented young people have been honored as heroes of the event, with many showing a surge of excitement as they came up on the stage to receive the award they deserve. The awards were handed to the youths by prominent personalities such as Minhojiddin Mirzo, head of the National Center for Spirituality and a member of Kelajak ovozi Public Council; Agrippina Shin, a member of the jury of the foundations` grant programs; Alisher Faizullayev, a professor and doctor of political science; prominent singer Munojat Yulchiyeva and the chairperson of the Fund Forum`s Board of Trustees Gulnara Karimova among others.
Thus, the event occurring at the Youth Creativity Palace turned out to be more than just a usual awards ceremony. It was an interactive forum where the young boys and girls conversed, held discussions and shared with each other their plans and achievements. The stage also hosted presentations of promising and original projects run by members of Kelajak ovozi YIC and Fund Forum programs. The bulk of these projects are related to high technologies and telecommunications. The participants have created a lot of interesting websites and online systems focusing on diverse youth topics such as education, culture, art, recreation, fashion, design, etc. More specifically, molodej.uz websites now enables those interested in participating in Fund Forum projects to submit applications online. The website vacant.uz currently offers around 300 vacancies from 30 employers. Another website, sporim.uz, which is gaining increasing popularity, is an opportunity to create web-pages, share interests and hobbies as well as make friends. Besides, a group of web designers presented a page within gulnara_opa.livejournal.com blog platform, which they dedicated to Gulnara, where users can converse with her, discuss issues, and ask questions.
In what came as a surprise for those gathered, Bakhtiyor Rakhmanov from Karshi city, a member of the YIC, gave a live performance of the song “V yedinstve parya” (Flying in unity) with lyrics by Gulnara Karimova. Kelajak ovozi YIC coordinator for Bukhara, Shokhrukh Ganiyev, spoke in detail about the creation of the song. Two years ago Shokhrukh showed Bakhtiyor, who is a skilled guitar player, the lyrics which he liked a lot, and the latter wasted no time in composing the music to the song. After a year, Bakhtiyor made a studio recording of the song which became a hit at a training camp in Kashkadarya where the video was made. The forum audience and participants gave the song a warm welcome and lavished the performer with uproarious applause.
Also, the event honored 15 winners of the Sports Grants Programs, which was set up by the Fund Forum in 2007 in an effort to support young talented athletes. Grants were also awarded to 10 aspiring entrepreneurs under the Young Entrepreneurs Support Program which seeks to attract the youth to small business as well as providing methodical and financial assistance for young budding businessmen.
One of the special guests invited to the ceremony was a famous Russian journalist and TV host Vladimir Solovyov:
- I am pleasantly surprised by the informal atmosphere I have witnessed at the forum. I didn`t get the impression that the event involved one of the world`s most recognized Uzbek figures and kids who are aspiring to achieve their goals. It gave me an impression that those present are like-minded people talking on professional level. What I saw here is a rare case when a game turns out well and the players perform impressively. This is what they call an exciting creative atmosphere. Therefore these four hours have just flashed by unnoticeably. To be honest, I wouldn`t be able to sit through a four-hour concert, but this event was interesting indeed. I was curious to see what the guys do and how interested they were in the forum itself. When you have this kind of creative potential and enthusiasm, there is hope for considerable progress in the near future.
Gulnara is a person who defines international politics and attitude to Uzbekistan, to the Uzbek youth and its creative endeavors. I have watched her activities with a keen interest and you feel like you`re faced with a sort of a Renaissance period. When you have someone so massively talented in so many areas such as jewelry, fashion, politics, who also takes care of women`s health and children, and aspires to create opportunities for the youth, you know that this person has taken on a series of humanitarian and cultural missions, let alone her poetic talent…No doubt, this is a phenomenal personality, which is recognized by even adversaries. Today`s event, the Fund Forum`s scholarship and grant programs, is a ticket to life. I mentioned Renaissance because besides Gulnara's versatile talents I should also note her attitude to the youth, and this reminds me of Ludovico Sforza under whom Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo the Magnificent could prosper; he was also famed as the patron of numerous talents. Being able to see talents and give them a chance to open up is a rare gift.
Here I see children who view the Foundation`s support as the only opportunity to succeed. I`ve seen disabled kids as well, and it`s amazing that they are not forgotten either and they are taken care of. It is amazing that the talents are being honed and you can also see mercy. The Uzbek youth are talented, active and fun. You can meet youths like Uzbeks everywhere in the world but one trait that sets Uzbeks apart is that they revere elderly people, and this is remarkable.
The awards ceremony was followed by a videoconference in another room with live transmission with all regions of the republic. During the conference Gulnara Karimova spoke with young activists involved in her projects, answered questions, participated in discussions, made proposals and listened to new project ideas.
As the ceremony came to an end, it marked the beginning of a new season of youth programs offered by the Fund Forum, which will welcome new ideas and projects and discover new names.
Related links
Again, a good motivation! Sports and Educational Grants, Scholarships