From September 24 to 27, 2026, Dushanbe will host the first meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of Asia (PAA). The event will bring together parliamentary delegations from more than 20 countries, including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the Central Asian states, Avesta.tj reported.
This forum is part of Tajikistan's two-year chairmanship of the committee (2026–2027). Legislators will focus on preserving cultural heritage, developing healthcare, protecting the rights of women and youth, and strengthening interreligious dialogue and tourism.
Hosting such a large-scale interparliamentary forum is an important political and image-building event for Tajikistan.
Firstly, Dushanbe's status as the 2026 Asian Capital of Culture and the host of the PAA confirms the growing international standing of the republic and President Emomali Rahmon personally. The country is strengthening its position as a key mediator and center of diplomatic dialogue in the region.
Secondly, the event has direct practical benefits: direct interparliamentary contacts with leading Asian powers (UAE, Qatar, China) help Tajikistan advance its own legislative agenda, attract humanitarian and investment attention to social projects, and develop the country's cultural and tourism potential.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 21, 2026