OSCE Office in Tajikistan brings politicians together with students

KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 28 October 2011 – Leaders of all six political parties represented in the Sughd region in northern Tajikistan met with 50 university students today as part of a five-day seminar on democratic processes organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan with the support of educational institutions and nongovernmental organizations in Khujand.

The event, held in Dehmoy, outside Khujand, was the first time such a politician-student exchange has been held with all parties. The politicians, who represent the ruling coalition and opposition parties, answered students' questions about the direction of secondary education and the willingness of political parties to consider young people as voters, candidates and election observers. Pledging to make expanding young people's engagement in political life a priority, the party leaders invited the young people to attend the next session of the parties' informal political club that meets monthly in the OSCE Khujand Field Office. 

"Today's exchange helps move co-operation forward between the established generation of political leadership and young people eager to take part in the political process," said Frederick Runsten, the Office’s Legal-Electoral Reform Officer. 

Students attending the Office's democratic processes seminar discussed the Tajik legal framework for elections and political parties, the OSCE Copenhagen Document, which contains election-related commitments agreed by OSCE participating States, and other international commitments. They also debated methodology and organized a role-play election campaign.

In Saturday's session, the students will host two prominent women politicians from the Sughd region who will talk about the specific experiences of women in political life and how to involve more women in the political process. The seminar concludes on Sunday.