On Friday, April 3, the capital of Uzbekistan became a center of international expert dialogue in the field of media communications. The scientific-practical conference “Trade Union Publications in Conditions of Transformation – The Path to Convergence,” dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the newspaper “Ishonch” of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, brought together leading specialists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan at its platform. The event highlighted the special role of trade union media as an institution for protecting the rights of working people in conditions of global digitalization.
Opening the forum, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, member of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Kudratilla Rafikov noted that today freedom of speech and openness have become strategic guidelines for the countries of the region.
In his speech, the head of the National Trade Union Center of Uzbekistan emphasized the historical significance of the newspaper, noting that over 35 years “Ishonch” has published more than 5,500 issues, becoming a true trade union brand with a total circulation of over 37 thousand copies.
“Modern publication is part of a unified media space where the protection of workers’ interests is inseparably linked with responsibility for the accuracy of words and the development of multimedia content. In recent years, the editorial office of the newspaper has been significantly updated. A media center has been created, digital platforms are actively developing, a system of prompt distribution of publications in the regions has been established, and a tradition of annual publication of collections of the best articles has been formed. At the same time, it is necessary to openly acknowledge: the process of convergence is not yet complete. It is only beginning to take on a systematic character. That is why today’s conference is especially important – it allows us to objectively assess the current state, identify problem points and determine further steps,” said Kudratilla Rafikov.
In turn, welcoming the participants, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration – Press Secretary of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sherzod Asadov expressed deep respect for veterans and honored employees of the trade union publication, emphasizing its constructive role in building a new state.
“In New Uzbekistan, where human dignity is above all, this publication effectively presents the essence and significance of ongoing reforms, bringing their results to the attention of both national and global public. Today digital technologies and artificial intelligence pose new relevant tasks for journalists, and we are confident that you will continue to carry this banner with honor,” said Sherzod Asadov.
A congratulatory speech was also delivered by the first editor-in-chief of the newspapers “Ishonch” and “Ishonch-Doverie” Tulkin Kozokboev, who stood at the origins of the publication in 1991.
“Today, ‘Ishonch’ is an authoritative publication which over 35 years has become a reliable tool for protecting the interests of workers and contributes to the development of an open and informed society,” said Tulkin Kozokboev.
The conference also provided an opportunity for exchange of international experience in the transformation of trade union communications.
The Director of the Trade Union Communications Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gulmira Karakozova presented to foreign colleagues a new model of integration of media resources with educational programs. She explained in detail the implementation of the Strategy of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan for 2025–2030, within which the FTUK managed to create a unique ecosystem of information work.
“In the past year, we adopted a new Strategy focused on the era of innovation. We created the Trade Union Communications Center, which united external and internal communications, integrating media with training. Despite a compact staff, efficiency is achieved through clear coordination and the preparation of a pool of 150 speakers capable of competently representing the interests of workers on any platforms. Our goal is to turn every information occasion into a tool of legal awareness, and the figures confirm the success of this approach: if in 2018 we recorded 400 publications in the media, then by 2025 their number increased to 6000, ensuring an audience reach of 12 million people,” said Gulmira Karakozova.
The topic of technological development in Kazakhstan was continued by the Director of the Department of Digital Technologies of FTUK Nurlan Dosumov. In his speech, he presented the concept of transition from a reactive model to proactive analysis of labor risks. According to him, in the Year of digitalization and artificial intelligence, the trade unions of Kazakhstan are designing a full-fledged ecosystem, including the SuperApp “Digital Trade Union” and AI-based analytical platforms.
“We are convinced that digital ethics must be above technologies. That is why FTUK developed a Standard for the protection of workers’ rights in the implementation of AI, which has already been approved by the Council of Trade Unions of Central Asia and recognized by the International Trade Union Confederation as a benchmark example of regulation in the workplace,” said Nurlan Dosumov.
The discussions were supplemented by speeches of colleagues from other countries of the region. The specialist of the media sector of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan Saadat Khakieva emphasized the dynamics of brotherly relations between countries and spoke about the introduction of a ‘one-stop shop’ system in trade union tourism services, as well as the active use of video content to explain labor norms.
The head of the Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan Altynai Zhumalieva shared experience of the hotline “1229” and integration of AI into Telegram chatbots, which made it possible to respond promptly to violations of legislation under the new Labor Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Experience of Tajikistan was presented by the chief editor of the newspaper “Ittifok” Rahmonali Davlatov, and perspectives of diversification of communication tools in Turkey were presented by legal adviser of the journal TÜRK-İŞ Elif Cansu Ikiyel.
At the end of the conference, reports of experts in media economics and innovation were presented. Speakers introduced models of monetization of media products, revealed strategies for working in social networks, and modern sources of information.
Summing up, the participants of the international conference agreed that the presented cases and innovative solutions will become the foundation for a qualitatively new stage of inter-trade union cooperation. According to the delegates, consolidation of efforts will make it possible to form a unified information space in which the protection of workers’ interests will be strengthened through the rapid implementation of artificial intelligence technologies and digital services. Specialists emphasized that the transformation of trade union media from classical information channels into high-tech tools of legal support is an inevitable and necessary step.
Trade Union Communications Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan