Zafar Uddin Mahmood, special assistant to the former prime minister of Pakistan and chairman of the "Understanding China" Forum in Pakistan Photo: rdcy.ruc.edu.cn

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member state leaders signed and issued the Tianjin Declaration on September 1, during the recently concluded SCO Tianjin Summit. The Tianjin Declaration, the deliverable document of the SCO Summit, provides guidance to further SCO cooperation, including cultural exchanges, sports, and youth exchanges.

The Tianjin Declaration also notes that member states highly appreciate the contribution of Qingdao, the People's Republic of China, as the SCO Tourism and Culture Capital from 2024 to 2025. Experts from Pakistan told the Global Times that many new initiatives are expected to be launched to make the organization more vibrant and responsive to the ever-changing complex regional and international situation.

Zafar Uddin Mahmood, special assistant to the former prime minister of Pakistan and chairman of the "Understanding China" Forum in Pakistan, said that with an emphasis on dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding, the SCO is expected to play a crucial and leading role in the coming years for the benefit of the Global South in particular and the world at large. In his tenure spanning over four decades, he also served as the Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Pakistan Embassy, Beijing, and later as Pakistan's first Consul General in Shanghai. 

"In my view, there is great potential for the inclusion of member countries in activities related to people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation. I personally feel that the level of people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation between Pakistan and SCO countries needs to be further enhanced," said Mahmood.

 

Muhammad Zamir Assadi, a Pakistani political analyst and editor with Internews Pakistan based in Islamabad Photo: Courtesy of Muhammad Zamir Assadi

As the SCO Tourism and Culture capital between 2024 and 2025, Qingdao, "was another milestone in advancing tourism cooperation between the region and enhancing cultural exchanges between the member states. This era has seen many positive results that testify to the increasing synergy and shared vision in the context of the SCO," Muhammad Zamir Assadi, a Pakistani political analyst and an editor with Internews Pakistan based in Islamabad, told the Global Times in an exclusive written interview. 

Meanwhile, the member states welcomed the designation of the city of Cholon-Ata of the Kyrgyz Republic as the SCO Capital of Tourism and Culture for 2025-2026, and noted the proposal to hold the SCO Chingiz Aitmatov Issyk-Kul Forum in Cholon-Ata, the Tianjin Declaration stated.

From Assadi's point of view, the city is in a good position to enhance cultural and tourism partnership among SCO member states with Cholpon-Ata selected as the SCO Capital of Tourism and Culture 2025-2026.

"Following the steps that have been taken in the context of the SCO system, Cholpon-Ata can become a vibrant point of contact between different traditions, histories, and peoples in the region," he added.

By creating youth exchange programs, academic collaborations and cultural exchanges, the city can enhance people-to-people relationship and build an ethos of mutual respect and belonging. Simply put, Cholpon-Ata can take a step to enhance its image and that of the SCO, and promote unity, and economic and cultural diversity throughout the region.

It is important to create conditions for the healthy development of the younger generation, to reduce the risk of their involvement in illegal activities. The SCO member states welcomed the results of the SCO Youth Leaders and Talents Conference held in East Kazakhstan's Oblast from July 31 to August 2, and the successful events held within the framework of the SCO International Incubator of Youth Entrepreneurship project in 2024-2025, according to the Tianjin Declaration.

The SCO Youth Leaders and Talents Conference and the SCO International Incubator of Youth Entrepreneurship project are important measures to ensure long-term youth collaboration within SCO member states. These efforts show there is a solid, shared desire to empower the younger generation and provide them with skills, opportunities and platforms to succeed in an ever-interconnected world, Assadi elaborated.