A regional conference titled "Education for Peace and Security" has started in Bishkek, dedicated to the International Day for Disarmament Education and its non-proliferation.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek, and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Central Asia.
At the conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Asein Isaev emphasized that since the establishment of the UN, disarmament and arms control issues have played a key role in preventing crises and resolving armed conflicts.
Isaev also noted that Kyrgyzstan has consistently followed a course towards peace and disarmament since gaining independence. In particular, the country, together with its Central Asian neighbors, initiated the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone, which became the first in the Northern Hemisphere and the first multilateral security agreement covering all five countries in the region.
The deputy minister added that the Central Asian countries voluntarily committed themselves not to produce, acquire, or deploy nuclear weapons on their territories.
Furthermore, Isaev highlighted Kyrgyzstan's active efforts in non-proliferation: "The country joined the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, thereby reaffirming its commitment to global disarmament efforts," he said.
Asein Isaev also reminded that in 2022, the UN General Assembly unanimously supported Kyrgyzstan's initiative to declare March 5 as the International Day for Disarmament Education and Non-Proliferation.
Every year, events are held on this day in various international centers such as Vienna, Geneva, and New York, with the participation of representatives from governments, civil society, youth, and academia.
During his speech, he also emphasized that education and enlightenment are important tools for strengthening peace and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
