The third Central Asia Youth Regional Conference on Water and Climate — RCOY Central Asia 2026 — will be held in Samarkand from September 4 to 6. This event is the region's only large-scale platform dedicated to youth.

The conference will bring together about 100 young experts from nine countries, including invited delegations from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, as well as Azerbaijan and Turkey. They are called upon to develop common approaches toward water security and climate justice.

The main objective of the event is to create a Regional Youth Declaration containing an action plan geared toward the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP31). This document will outline specific demands for glacier protection and efficient water resource management. The final document will be officially presented at UNFCCC COP31 in Antalya and at the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.

It should be noted that this regional conference is being organized for the third time. Previous meetings were held in Bishkek in 2022 and 2024. The current event is implemented with the support of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, UN structures, and international organizations.

Applications for young people from the region wishing to participate in the conference are accepted until August 2. There is also an opportunity to submit proposals for the Regional Youth Declaration until August 10.