Astana — April 26, 2024. In the year of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the "Beles" Center for Analysis and Strategy, together with Astana International University (AIU) (through partnership with the NLSTC RI), became the organizers of one of the main youth events of the year — the XII Interactive Conference "SCO Model".

The event, held under the auspices of the "Shanghai Spirit", gathered future diplomats from 9 member countries of the Organization on one platform to discuss the topic: "Building a Green Future in the SCO Region: Strategies and Joint Solutions".

The level of the event was confirmed by the personal participation of the Organization's top leadership. SCO Deputy Secretary-General Janesh Cain welcomed the conference participants. In his address, he noted that it is on such platforms that "the foundation for the careers of future ambassadors and foreign ministers is laid".

Organizing an event of such scale is the result of the synergy of academic resources (AIU) and expert support (NLSTC RI / "Beles" Center). As "Beles" President Serik Irsaliyev noted in his speech, the choice of the environmental agenda is not accidental: 2024 has been declared the Year of Ecology in the SCO.

"Today we are gathering young people to find a consensus on problems that the lives of 1 billion young people in the SCO region depend on. This is our university's and center's contribution to global security," emphasized S. Irsaliyev.

Delegates simulated the work of the Council of Heads of Government, defended the positions of "their" countries, and learned the art of compromise. Following the debates, a final Resolution on a "green future" was adopted. The finale of the event was a symbolic action — tree planting on the EXPO territory, which cemented the environmental mission of the forum.

Holding the XII SCO Model consolidated for our Center and University the status of a key platform for "soft power" and public diplomacy in the region, capable of implementing projects under the auspices of the SCO Secretariat.