#Raw Materials

2026-08-13

World Cotton Day 2026 to bring global cotton and textile community to Tashkent on October 7

The Government of Uzbekistan and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) will host the official World Cotton Day 2026 Partners Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on October 7.

The event will be open to the public, with registration information and additional program details available on the World Cotton Day Partners Conference website (view the draft agenda here). The partner organizations, which have participated in annual World Cotton Day celebrations since the event was launched in 2019, are the ICAC, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Held under the theme “Cotton for Good: Building Prosperity Through Trade, Transformation and Partnership,” the full-day event will bring together government officials, international organizations, cotton and textile industry representatives, development institutions, researchers, and other stakeholders from across the global value chain.

“Uzbekistan is proud to host World Cotton Day 2026 and welcome the international cotton and textile community to Tashkent,” said Ibrokhim Y. Abdurakhmonov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Agriculture. “This celebration will provide an important platform for sharing experience, building partnerships and exploring how cotton can contribute to employment, trade, investment, and sustainable economic development.”

The program will examine how cotton-producing and cotton-consuming countries can become more competitive, diversify their economies and build stronger connections among agriculture, industry, trade, and innovation.

Planned sessions include:

Trade, Transformation, and Partnership: How Cotton Builds Prosperity

Building Prosperity Across the Cotton Value Chain

Trust, Quality, and Responsible Cotton Supply Chains

Investment, Innovation, and Competitiveness in Cotton Economies

Carbon Markets and Climate Finance: New Opportunities for Cotton Farmers

The discussions will explore practical approaches to increasing cotton productivity, expanding domestic processing and textile manufacturing, attracting investment, strengthening relationships with global buyers, improving quality and traceability, and ensuring that farmers benefit from emerging opportunities such as carbon markets and climate finance.

“World Cotton Day gives the global community an opportunity to recognize cotton’s extraordinary economic and social importance while confronting the challenges facing the sector,” said ICAC Executive Director Eric B. Trachtenberg. “By opening the official celebration to the public, Uzbekistan is enabling more people to participate in this critical international conversation about cotton’s future.”

The program is expected to feature contributions from senior government representatives, international organizations, cotton and textile associations, development finance institutions, technology providers, private-sector companies, and producer organizations.

The event will conclude on October 8 with a Technical Tour hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan highlighting the country’s cotton and textile heritage, culture, and craftsmanship. All registered participants will have the opportunity to attend.

The confirmed agenda, speaker announcements, and other updates will be published soon.

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