The youth of the Kyrgyz Republic are a very diverse and heterogeneous part of society, as well as a developing dramatically and a very important social resource. This is why the youth attracts the attention of politicians, government structures, and public organizations. At the same time, it is not very easy to find, in the public domain, analytical materials that describe various aspects of youth life and environment.

This research focuses on the values of the younger generation and their attitude toward social conflict and violence, on how young people see themselves and their future. Those who carried out this research include not only experienced experts in the field, but also young activists who took part, carrying out surveys and interviews. For the most part, this report is made up of various opinions on youth culture gathered by the
“youth themselves” and thus an attempt to look at this social group not only from a distance. An important part of this study was an assessment of the situation from “the inside” in order to pinpoint the opinion that young people have of themselves and their country.

Another facet of this study of youth culture in Kyrgyz Republic is the connection between long-term and fairly stable factors of conflict behavior (such as social and personal values), taking into account situational conditions of stimuli, such as the current social mood and influence of distinguished leaders on them. Using this idea, a methodology was developed, which is presented in the corresponding chapters and attachments.

This research project was conducted as part of the USAID-funded, ACTED-implemented “Conflict Mitigation through Targeted Analysis and Community Action (COMTACA)” Project. The research was facilitated by the Central Asian Resources Center for Diversity Management, a division of the Center of Social Integration (CSI). For more than ten years, CSI has been working in the sphere of diversity management and civil education. In addition to research projects in the sphere of educational reform, the organization has also sponsored a number of projects in the field of local politics. Recommendations on policy and the organization of practical activities for working with youth are included in this report and intended to spark public discussion and encourage interested participation. CSI accepts full responsibility for the accuracy of the data and information provided in this report.