Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik Leaders Win Tolstoy Peace Prize

The Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize has been presented in Saint Petersburg to the presidents of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, recognizing their joint efforts to strengthen peace and security in Central Asia.

The award ceremony took place at the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, where the prestigious prize was presented to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The prize was presented by Valery Gergiev, chairman of the international jury and head of both the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the jury, the three leaders were honored for their personal contributions to regional stability, particularly following the signing of the Border Junction Treaty and the Khujand Declaration on Eternal Friendship on March 31, 2025, in Khujand. These landmark agreements marked a turning point in relations among the three neighboring states, reinforcing collective security and promoting mutual trust and cooperation.

The jury emphasized that the accords opened a new chapter in Central Asian relations, made possible by strong political will and the shared aspiration of the region’s peoples for good-neighborliness. The Border Junction Treaty precisely defines the junction point of the three countries’ borders and clarifies the course of state boundary lines.

The document is seen as strategically significant for regional integration, laying the groundwork for closer political dialogue, expanded economic cooperation, cross-border trade, joint infrastructure projects, and job creation in border areas. Collectively, these efforts contribute to positioning Central Asia as a region of peace, prosperity, and constructive development, in line with the humanistic ideals symbolized by the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize.