Petros Kyriakou Veloudas was born in Agrinio in 1977. He holds a degree in humanities from the Department of Greek Culture of the Hellenic Open University of Patras and is a businessman and preschool teacher by profession. He is the European ambassador of Greek poetry in Romania, an academic poet at the AMCL Academy of Poetry and Philology in Brazil. Member of the international poetry societies WORLD SOCIETY OF POETS-WSP, WRITERS UNION, International Association of Greek writers-DEEL.
His literary-poetic work is included in the Great Encyclopedia of Modern Greek Writers HARI PATSI, as well as in many Greek and international poetry anthologies, he has won 57 international poetry awards and his poems have been translated into many languages. Poems are read on Chilean radio stations. His lyrics were set to music by Greek composers and his songs are posted on Youtube. His poems have been published in local newspapers of Agrinio such as (MACHITIS, AGGELIA, PALMOS).
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL LIFE: OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS Jaloldinova Gulzirahon Otabek kizi
Student of group 101, Computer Linguistics, Faculty of Philology, Andijan State University
Today, thanks to the extensive reforms being carried out in our country, many opportunities are opening up for women. In this regard, we consider it appropriate to quote the speech of our President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the Senate of the Oliy Majlis in June 2019: “I am often concerned about the stereotype that has emerged in the minds of our people. Usually, we respect a woman, first of all, as a mother, a keeper of the family hearth. This is undoubtedly true. However, today every woman should not be an ordinary observer, but also an active and proactive participant in the democratic changes taking place in the country.”
Through this speech, the head of our state emphasizes that women should have their place not only in the family, but also in all developing spheres of society. We know that today our progressive women are working in public administration, education, art and culture, medicine, sports and a number of other areas and are achieving many successes. Their activities testify to the fact that women have their place in society, that their rights and interests are determined by law, and that they have equal rights with men. Also, the participation of women in political life is of great importance not only for our society, but also for our state.
In particular, one of such women. We can cite Tanzila Norbaeva as the first woman in the history of our country to be elected to the chair of the Senate. During her long career, she held such positions in public administration as Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Head of the Secretariat of the Head of the Complex for Social Protection of Family, Motherhood and Childhood, Leading Specialist and Chief Specialist of the Information and Analytical Department on Education, Healthcare and Social Protection of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairman of the Council of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairman of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan.
During her career, Tanzila Norbaeva proved that women can also actively work in political life and public administration, and bring benefits to society and the state. Indeed, today, more than 1,300 women hold leadership positions in state and public organizations, including 45 in ministries and departments, 39 in the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Cabinet of Ministers, and 207 in local government bodies.
Women and girls are given every opportunity to improve their political knowledge and test themselves in various fields. In particular, entrepreneurship centers for women have been established. This center helps retrain women who are on long-term parental leave and who are in a difficult economic situation in their professions, develops women’s business skills, provides them with advice and practical assistance.
Women who express a desire to engage in entrepreneurship are trained according to a special training program based on a list formed by the district (city) khokim and the women’s committee. Those who successfully complete special programs are given the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial activities, based on the recommendation of the district (city) women’s committee. A preferential loan is provided for setting up. In addition, in order to provide socio-economic assistance to women, the “Women’s Book” was introduced. With this, the head of our state is creating a foundation for women to show themselves in every aspect.
It is true that in New Uzbekistan, all opportunities are being opened for women, gender equality is being created. But as is not without controversy, there are also some narrow-minded people. A woman should be busy raising children and doing household chores. There are also many who think that she cannot function in the same social circle as men. In their opinion, if a woman works in society, actively interacts with society, and financially supports her family, she will change as a result of the influence of some people in society and will lose her place as a woman in the family.
But we believe that this issue depends on human upbringing. It is important to ignore such negative thoughts in society. The Head of our state is creating many opportunities for women to find their place in society, be appreciated, and contribute to the development of society and the state, and is enshrining this in law.
In particular, the approval of Law No. 562 “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” on September 2, 2019 is a vivid proof of this. To date, serious attention is being paid to the issue of gender equality in our country. The practical result of this is that Uzbekistan is also a leader in key indicators of gender equality and gender development: the Gender Development Index (GRI) for women is 0.795 compared to men, which indicates a high level of equality between women and men.
I consider it appropriate to mention that the percentage of our women and girls in political life has increased significantly. In particular, women’s participation in political processes is increasing, and this trend can also be observed in electoral processes. The 1952 UN Convention on the Political Rights of Women. The Convention stipulates that women have the right to vote and stand for election on an equal basis with men. If we compare the results of the last elections to representative bodies, all parties have fulfilled the legal requirement that at least 30 percent of candidates must be women. In particular, 41 percent of the candidates nominated by parties were women.
This situation was also positively assessed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Uzbekistan began participating in the Gender Equality Index in 2019. As of 2019, Uzbekistan’s gender equality index ranked 62nd out of 189 countries on the list. Taking advantage of these opportunities, there are enough of our women who are taking their rightful place in political and social circles.
For example, in the field of sports, our compatriot Diyora Keldiyorova won the Olympic championship. In addition, it is commendable that another of our compatriots, Rayyona Ibrohimova, won 1st place at the International German Language Olympiad. There are many such women and girls in our country who deserve our pride. Why do you think they are achieving success in the world community and raising our flag even higher?
Of course, this is because our country pays due attention to our women and girls and creates opportunities for their development. It is not necessary to put obstacles in the way of women, but to be able to provide them with wings so that they can fly. In short, we must not forget that our women and girls can be the pillars of our society, just like men.
References
Resolution of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Resolution No. SQ-297- IV dated 28.05.2021
The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the Protection of Women and Girls from Harassment and Violence”, adopted on September 2, 2019
Science and Innovation: The Impact on Education and Society
Annotation
This paper explores how science and innovation have transformed education and society in the modern world. It discusses the role of technology in enhancing learning, improving access to information, and shaping global communication. The study also highlights how scientific progress influences social development, human values, and the economy. The article concludes that science and innovation not only drive technological advancement but also play a key role in building knowledge-based societies and promoting sustainable growth.
Science and innovation have always been the foundation of human progress. From the invention of the wheel to the creation of artificial intelligence, every great leap in human history has been fueled by curiosity, creativity, and the desire to solve problems. In the 21st century, the relationship between science and education has become more intertwined than ever before. The modern education system depends on scientific discoveries and technological innovations to prepare students for a fast-changing world. This paper discusses the influence of science and innovation on education and society, focusing on how they shape the way people learn, communicate, and live.
Science and the Transformation of Education
Science has revolutionized the way education is delivered, experienced, and understood. Modern teaching methods are no longer limited to classrooms or textbooks. Instead, they are supported by digital technologies, interactive learning platforms, and online resources that make education more flexible and accessible. For instance, online education tools such as Coursera, Khan Academy, and Google Classroom have made it possible for students to learn from anywhere in the world. Scientific research in psychology and pedagogy has also improved our understanding of how people learn, leading to more effective teaching methods that support critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
Another major impact of science on education is the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs. These disciplines encourage students to apply scientific thinking to real-world problems, promoting innovation and problem-solving skills. In many countries, governments and institutions now emphasize STEM education as a foundation for future economic growth and technological leadership. Science also encourages evidence-based learning, where students are trained to question, experiment, and draw conclusions from data rather than rely on assumptions.
Innovation and Educational Technology
Innovation is the practical expression of scientific discovery. In education, innovation has led to the creation of digital tools that make learning more engaging and efficient. Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and machine learning are now being integrated into classrooms to personalize education and support students with different learning styles. For example, AI-powered systems can analyze a student’s performance and adapt lessons to match their pace and abilities. Similarly, virtual reality allows students to explore complex scientific concepts or historical events through immersive simulations, making abstract knowledge tangible and exciting.
The COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated the power of innovation in education. When schools closed, digital platforms became the primary medium of learning. Although this transition was challenging, it also showed how resilient and adaptable the education system can be when supported by technology. In the long term, these innovations will continue to shape hybrid learning models that combine traditional teaching with online flexibility, ensuring that education remains accessible in any situation.
Science, Innovation, and Society
Science and innovation do not only transform education—they reshape society as a whole. Scientific progress has improved healthcare, transportation, communication, and quality of life. Today’s society is driven by knowledge and information, and innovation serves as its main engine. The internet, smartphones, and renewable energy technologies have changed the way people work, interact, and think. As a result, societies have become more interconnected and globally aware.
However, scientific and technological progress also brings ethical and social challenges. Issues such as data privacy, automation, and environmental degradation have raised new questions about how innovation should be used responsibly. Education plays a key role in addressing these challenges by teaching people to think critically about the social impact of technology and to use science ethically. A well-educated society is better prepared to balance progress with morality, ensuring that innovation serves humanity rather than harms it.
The Role of Science and Innovation in Economic Development
Education, science, and innovation are the cornerstones of economic growth. Countries that invest in scientific research and technology tend to have stronger economies and higher living standards. For example, nations such as Japan, South Korea, and Germany have built their success on innovation-driven education systems. By supporting research institutions and encouraging creativity, they have turned knowledge into practical solutions and global competitiveness. In developing countries, promoting innovation in education can help reduce inequality and open new opportunities for youth.
Scientific innovation also creates new industries and jobs. Fields such as biotechnology, renewable energy, and information technology are expanding rapidly, demanding a workforce that is educated, adaptable, and innovative. Therefore, investing in science-based education is not only about knowledge—it is about securing a sustainable economic future.
The Social and Cultural Influence of Scientific Innovation
Beyond economics, science and innovation shape human values and social behavior. The spread of information through digital media has created a global culture of learning and collaboration. People from different backgrounds can now share knowledge instantly, promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding. At the same time, this digital era has introduced challenges such as misinformation and overreliance on technology. To overcome these, education must focus on developing digital literacy and ethical awareness.
Innovation also supports social inclusion. Assistive technologies help people with disabilities access education and participate fully in society. Scientific innovations in medicine and engineering improve quality of life and extend human potential. Thus, the social impact of science and innovation goes far beyond laboratories—it reaches every aspect of human existence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, science and innovation have become inseparable elements of education and society. They drive progress, expand knowledge, and connect people across the globe. While they offer tremendous benefits, they also require responsibility, ethical awareness, and continued investment in education. The future depends on how wisely humanity uses science and innovation—not only to advance technology but also to promote equality, sustainability, and human well-being. Education is the key to ensuring that innovation serves society positively, guiding the next generation of thinkers, inventors, and leaders toward a brighter, more intelligent world.
References
UNESCO (2023). Science, Technology and Innovation in Education. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
OECD (2022). The Future of Education and Skills 2030. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
World Bank (2021). Innovation and Economic Development: The Role of Education. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.
Schwab, K. (2017). The Fourth Industrial Revolution. New York: Crown Business.
National Science Foundation (2020). Science and Engineering Indicators. Washington, DC: NSF.
Moths Attracted to the Light in Gas Station Bathrooms
Jesus Christ inspired me, stare dead-eyed, cool, un-broken,
at vermin scurrying away from Golgotha,
then days later he was back to say “so long for now, kiddo”
as if Elvis in ’68 had been beaten to the post,
Colonel Steve Austin half-frozen escaping that freezer in ’74
that stunk of death and twisted rural hobbies,
warm as Jesus when he reached flat and sun-shadowed ground
in an epiphany that the mountain wasn’t coming to me, nor those steel-wrought cheque books,
not even those blood-lipped assassins I’d been lying awake thinking of had a dirty weekend
to concoct some 1940s shakedown,
in that final quarter of that December ballgame
across a set of lips so frozen I’d been sworn to steel’s most coldest silence,
even within this scurrying swoosh of frost those who’d shown me how to dream
spoke gently – slow down, take it in, this is the eternal –
no moth who worshipped a gas-station bathroom light means me any harm,
I watch them fly away, sunshine is their religion. Maybe we can teach each other how to pray.
Connemara : 1986
County Galway, it’s raining,
and the music doesn’t ask me for my song,
aching slender sonnets
on its mossy alphabets,
roadside, roadless,
the broken heart of the used-up railway line
asking me to me make it a poet. I swear to Jesus I will;
the internal organs of Autumn
speak watery creoles of their missing bones
The Sun Doesn’t Need to Set, It Hardly Moved a Muscle All Day
Out at the sandbanks
water doesn’t learn which way goes east, which ways make men violent;
we’re sailors; dumb and laugh-bleached dirty-garments stretched to our skin’s best instincts of fighting, rich and poor, no money, cash strangled in a bag of cats
superseded by a crippling map;
Tuesday-town owns nowhere, the moon reverses to our oceans
to calm its smoke, not too late for prevent a fire, too late
to drown secrets – look at a diagram the seashells left in the sand –
no, no-one can;
the sand has drowned – the seashells
are a wino’s roller coaster
of broken teeth, tremendous and bitter
A Poem Written on August 1st, 2024
Without thinking, I knelt in the grass, like someone meaning to pray
Louise Glück
In a bedroom, strange, though not foreign,
houndstooth eyes
gamble money-cash
as a witness points at a frightened light.
I think I hated someone this morning.
There’s time to reach a 24 hour confession-box
as hour 25 is swallowed by a snake,
cold sand and diamond tanning itself on a cactus tree’s wild language.
Every strand of cotton hanging to everyone’s nail
comes from somewhere belongs somewhere, comes from somewhere belongs somewhere.
Heligoland’s dark and speaks of a winter’s stolen grace,
everything’s whittled down to a glass firmament on a simple rib.
The sea feels it, existing as glass and light
between its nude after dark dreams,
people descend upon it with their foam-lip animals
and their relics of express trains and their silly stomachs jangling in food.
To experience an unwitting baptism,
the police patrol the ancient sands, this cannot be Egypt, we have fled knowledge,
reason, early vestiges of pornography
or false gods levitating in flame.
Everything is simple and lost to math, china-plate toes an emperor of sand.
Light cascading until nothing, light cascading until nothing, light cascading until nothing.
Mothers are carrying young children in their arms –
looking for salvation at least for them to find.
A child is kneeling next to a woman’s corpse,
sobbing loudly – with tears cursing the war.
The mother is killed – with a torn chest and no pulse,
and he hopes she will see again – she is still alive.
They once walked the streets – holding hands.
And houses are collapsing. Wild fires are blazing.
Cities and villages disappear in a cloud of dust,
and once they were warm family homes.
Now they are collapsing with the bloody snow that has fallen.
People have long been hostile to each other –
their hearts – are mirror ice – from cold.
In their footsteps – death lurks at full speed.
From the war, their souls are drowning in deep sorrow.
Fathers have held their breath in trenches and unfurled flags.
Somewhere a machine gun bark is heard, mowing down the enemy.
War is ominous – it paints emptiness and blindness.
Black headscarves are worn by women – instead of flags.
The picture overflows with sadness – spreading sea,
from which tears roar with a powerful tidal wave.
There is no love between people, and they are brothers of the same
blood. The wind caresses the corpses of soldiers out of pity.
It collects scattered photographs of women and children –
turned into sad fallen leaves of men.
And the dust holds them in dirty red albums.
Graves sprout – like flaming crocuses,
over which a cloud of eternal sorrow and grief remains.
Weighed down on the ground – they are leaden soldiers,
forever marked with tears and flowing blood.
Hearts are orphaned. The world is left breathless.
And let there be no WAR – the black scarf!
History tells enough about it…
I want a united brotherhood to reign everywhere
and with love we sow the seeds of peace!
Let bullets never fly – instead of birds
and may the sky remain crystal clear forever!
PEACE is light – a white canvas and let us draw together
white doves in flight and create joy in the World!
Translated by Yoana Konstantinova
Peace
author: Valentina Yordanova – Accordia (Bulgaria)
The word PEACE – three letters only.
A holy word – of great love.
With a breath of sweetness and freedom –
it is happiness for people around the world.
Comparable to a mother’s, a loving word –
so gentle, warm and light-winged.
Carried in an echo – all over the world,
reaching far and wide.
May PEACE reign on earth forever!
May there be no wars – fear in tears!
Sad melodies – outpoured by weeping,
The earth soaked with pain and blood!
And may all nations be fraternal,
May their friendship – be the sun in tomorrow.
May white doves fly freely in the open air,
And may the expanse of heaven be as pure as dew.
The word PEACE encompasses the whole world –
from the blood of freedom the dawn was born,
to remain in the beautiful morning of the day.
Let us all together preserve peace!
May war be a ship that has sailed forever,
and may PEACE be a joyful tear in the world!
Translated by Yoana Konstantinova
My name is Valentina Yordanova, pseudonym – Accordia. Born I am in Mezdra, Bulgaria. By profession I am children teacher and psychologist. My poetry is sincere and deep expression of love, pain, dreams and personal experiences. Favorite theme of mine is love – tender, beautiful, sometimes painful. My style is figurative and lyrical – I paint with words emotional landscapes – this is my soul. Publications – in Bulgaria and abroad. I know children’s soul and write children’s poems.
