Uzbekistan presents its Center of Islamic Civilization at UNESCO
On 7 October at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Uzbekistan put forward an international initiative to preserve Central Asia's scientific and spiritual heritage. More than 300 scholars and diplomats took part.
On 7 October, at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Uzbekistan presented an international initiative to preserve, study and promote the scientific and spiritual heritage of Central Asia.
About the conference
The high-level conference, “Islamic Civilization: The Great Spiritual and Scientific Heritage of Transoxiana and the Horizons of Enlightenment,” gathered more than 300 scholars, experts, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of international organizations, both in person and online.
The initiative was presented by Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center of Islamic Civilization. He stressed that coordinated efforts by researchers, libraries, museums, universities and international organizations are needed to make the legacy of Central Asia's leading thinkers accessible to scholars and future generations.
Main directions of the initiative
The initiative covers several areas: an international digital platform for historical sources, the use of artificial intelligence in manuscript research, the creation of a scientific consortium, support for early-career researchers, and the use of cultural diplomacy in global educational and scientific projects.
What is the Center?
The Center of Islamic Civilization is being built in Tashkent. The project was proposed in 2017 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Through museum halls and media projects it spans roughly 3,000 years of history, bringing together rare manuscript collections and their digital copies. It reflects the legacy of scholars such as Imam al-Bukhari, Imam al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), al-Biruni, Mirzo Ulugbek and Alisher Navoi.
Why it matters
Uzbekistan is presenting itself as one of the historic centres of Islamic scholarship and enlightenment. The presentation on the UNESCO stage continues the country's drive to make its heritage known to the world and bring it into scholarly circulation through cultural diplomacy.
