AKIPRESS.COM - The U.S. Embassy launched a new round of Self-Defense Classes for Women and Girls in Tashkent. The project will be carried out in collaboration with professional self-defense instructors from the Sambo Federation of Uzbekistan. Classes will take place at BeFit Box, a state-of-the-art gym facility, where participants will learn a set of techniques and exercises to defend themselves against physical threats and how to maintain strength and overall wellbeing.

Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State Donald Lu attended the classes as part of his official visit to Uzbekistan to demonstrate the U.S. government’s support for women’s empowerment and countering gender-based violence.

“As a diplomat, it is my job to always advocate for a more peaceful world. For me, peace is not only the absence of war and armed conflicts, but also the presence of freer, healthier, and safer lives of all of our peoples. The U.S. government is happy to contribute to this life-changing project designed to help women and girls of Uzbekistan,” Assistant Secretary Donald Lu noted in his opening remarks.

In 2021, the U.S. Embassy Tashkent launched the first-ever self-defense camp for women and girls in Uzbekistan. To build on the success of the pilot year, the positive feedback of project alumni, the impact on the local community, and the high demand for women’s self-defense camps, the U.S. Embassy plans to continue the project in 2022.