Media Ayvon 2026

About
Program
Location

What kind of event is this?

This is the National Conference “EU Tabassum: Outcomes of Media Discourse Transformation,” marking the culmination of a two-year, large-scale project on strengthening media skills and advancing gender equality in Uzbekistan. The event is integrated into the annual Media Ayvon 2026 forum.

Who is this event for?

The conference brings together a core professional community, including practicing journalists and bloggers, youth media teams, and representatives of women-led NGOs from across the regions of Uzbekistan. The discussion will also feature experts from the EU Delegation and DW Akademie, digital rights lawyers, as well as representatives of government bodies such as the Oliy Majlis, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Content Production Center.

What are the objectives?

We pursue three main objectives:
— To demonstrate real impact: showcase the best media products created over the past two years and evaluate the performance of the Edusmile.uz platform.
— To strengthen the community: connect Media School alumni (MSU Alumni) with experts and public sector representatives to support sustainable development.
— To conduct a legal review: discuss reforms in Uzbekistan’s media legislation and key challenges in the field of digital rights.

What will we be discussing?

Day 1: Tools and Ethics. We will review the results of regional campaigns, present the women experts database, and hold a panel discussion on fact-checking in the age of artificial intelligence.

Day 2: Freedom and Law. The focus will shift to the broader agenda: the new Media Code, the protection of journalists’ rights, court practice in online defamation cases, and personal data protection in 2026.

Forum agenda

Impact, Tools, and Results

April 30, 2026

09:30 - 10:00

Registration and "Success Alley"

Interactive Exhibition: Showcasing videos, long-form articles, and special projects produced by all project beneficiaries.

10:00 - 10:45

Formal Opening Ceremony

Hosts: Dilfuza Mirzaxmedova, Bobur Karimov

Welcoming Remarks: Kobuljon Akhmedov, Malika Kadirkhanova, H.E. Toivo Klaar (Ambassador of the EU), Natascha Schwanke, Saida Sulaymanova

10:45 - 11:30

Tabassum: Two Years of Change

Final Project Presentation: Key Figures (Coverage, Trained Specialists) and Qualitative Changes in Gender-Related Media Coverage.

Speaker: Saida Sulaymanova (Project Manager)

11:30 - 11:45

☕ Coffee Break

11:45 - 13:00

EduSmile.uz: Year in Review - Metrics and Case Studies

In-Depth Review of the Platform's Performance Over the Year: How the Expert Database has influenced the inclusivity of content in national media. Presentations by editorial users of the platform.

Moderator: Lola Islamova

Speakers: Feruza Nadjmiddinova, Barnokhon Artikkhodjaeva, Nargiza Shoislamova

13:00 - 14:00

🍽 Lunch

14:00 - 14:45

Pitch Session: How It Happened in the Regions - Part 1

Presentations by the Five Most Successful Teams: Women's NGOs Grant recipients share their experiences in overcoming stereotypes and the outcomes of their implemented campaigns.

Moderator: Darya Osmanova

Speakers: Najotbek Masharipov, Natalya Sviridova, Shirin Rashidova, Zamira Khakberdieva

14:45 - 15:30

Pitch Session: How It Happened in the Regions - Part 2

Presentations by the Five Most Successful Teams: Youth NGOs present the media products they have created.

Moderator: Madina Xan

Speakers: Sharofitdin Khusnitdinov, Vasila Norbekova, Saida Kuldosheva, Bakhrom Tuychiev, Gulbonu Quvvatova, Malika Rakhimova

15:30 - 15:45

☕ Coffee Break

15:45 - 17:00

Panel Discussion "Ethics and Fact-Checking in the Age of AI"

Discussion on the sustainability of anti-disinformation methods implemented during the project.

Moderator: Emil Fakhreyev

Speakers: Samandar Tursunaliev, Sasha Ivanyuzhenko, Dilfuza Mirzakhmedova

17:20 - 20:00

Reception & Evening Performance

Showcase "Freedom to Be. Freedom to Speak". A collaborative performance-showcase with the Human House Gallery: journalists, experts, and community representatives take the runway as models.

Freedom of Expression and Digital Law

May 1, 2026

10:00 - 11:30

Media Ayvon 2026 Plenary Session

Joint Session with Editors-in-Chief "Freedom of Expression and Inclusivity as Standards of Modern Journalism."

Moderator: Jahongir Azimov

Speakers: Abror Ismoilov, Yulduzkhon Olimova, Sabina Bakayeva, Anora Sadikova

11:30 - 11:45

☕ Coffee Break

11:45 - 12:30

Networking: Intergenerational Dialogue at MSU

Meeting with Alumni Network. Project participants engage with alumni from previous years to discuss community plans and future collaboration.

Moderator: Lola Islamova

Speakers: Maftuna Juraeva, Veronika Samoylova, Nazira Inoyatova, Barno Ikramova, Xusan Tangriev

12:30 - 13:00

Interactive Session: The Way Forward

Rapid Polling and Brainstorming Session. Engaging participants and experts in identifying pathways to build on achieved results and ensure long-term sustainability.

Moderator: Dilfuza Mirzakhmedova

13:00 - 14:00

🍽 Official Lunch

14:00 - 15:30

Roundtable (Part 1)

Media legislation in Uzbekistan: protection of journalists' rights and media self-regulation. Discussion of the development of legal mechanisms.

Moderator: Madina Tursunova

Speakers: Ilkhom Abdullaev, Dainius Radzevičius, Olimjon Usarov, Botirjon Shermuhammad, Ilyos Safarov, Bobur Karimov

15:30 - 15:45

☕ Coffee Break

15:45 - 17:15

Roundtable - Part 2

"Digital Law and Judicial Practice": Online defamation, liability for digital content, personal data protection, and court precedents from 2025-2026.

Moderator: Roman Reimer

Speakers: Scott Hoare, Zarina Ibragimova, Duman Smakov, Olga Didenko

17:15 - 17:30

Closing Ceremony of the Conference

Forum Closing.

Venue

Tashkent, Hyatt Regency Hotel, “Samarkand” Conference Hall