The Islamic Civilization Center’s activity outcomes and plans reviewed
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation outlining the outcomes of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and its future development plans.
Uzbekistan places special emphasis on strengthening national identity by thoroughly exploring its rich historical and spiritual heritage. It also actively promotes our great scholars’ scientific achievements internationally. In this context, the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan is being established as a modern cultural and educational hub of both national and global importance.
The presentation provided information about the work carried out by the center.
On March 17 this year, the center officially opened in its majestic building. As of June 1, it had welcomed half a million local and foreign guests. The average daily number of visitors is about 6,000. During this period, more than 150 foreign delegations and over 2,000 international guests visited the center.
A Children’s Museum has been established within the center, and the innovative Imam Bukhari Museum’s activities have begun. The building houses the Imam Maturidi International Scientific Research Center. A service of guides, tour guides, and controllers has been organized.
A total of 810 projects have been carried out in the fields of science and innovation, involving approximately 2,000 scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds.
The center regularly hosts conferences, seminars, roundtables, masterclasses, and book presentations. To date, more than 5,000 people have participated in these events.
Significant work has also been carried out to return cultural heritage. More than 1,000 artifacts have been returned to Uzbekistan. The center’s library collection is also being enriched. It currently contains more than 3,000 rare publications, of which 762 are intended for persons with disabilities. The collection is being digitized, and electronic chips are being introduced.
Modern technologies and digital innovations are being widely integrated into the center’s activities. Robot guides have been purchased for visitors, and multimedia and interactive devices have been installed in the exhibitions.
The center has been included in the Guinness World Records as the “Largest museum of Islamic civilization in the world”.
The presentation also outlined further plans for the center’s development.
First, issues related to advancing research and publishing work to a new level were discussed. Plans include adding the center’s scientific journal to the international Scopus and Web of Science databases, creating a unified platform for scientific centers, and preparing a digital catalog of manuscripts.
The establishment of the Islamic Enlightenment scholarship for master’s and doctoral students in the religious and educational sphere is also planned, along with the organization of book presentations by world-renowned scholars and experts. At the next stage, it is planned to involve 20,000 young people and representatives of the religious and educational sphere, including imam-khatibs and otinoyis, in the center’s activities.
Further measures to return cultural heritage were reviewed. The need was noted to create a permanent mechanism to search for, identify, scientifically study, examine, negotiate the return of, and bring back to the Homeland rare artifacts related to Uzbekistan that are held at global auctions, in museums, in private collections, and in international art markets.
Plans also include establishing ongoing global monitoring of Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, developing a unified digital database and an international register of cultural heritage sites, and creating a cutting-edge research laboratory unmatched in Central Asia.
Work in this area will also continue on collections related to Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage held in foreign countries, including China, the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
Plans to strengthen media and international promotion were discussed.
It is planned to hold the First International Islamic Forum on the “Islamic Civilization: Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment”. In addition, special presentations dedicated to the Islamic Civilization Center and the scientific heritage of Imam Bukhari, Imam Maturidi and Imam Termizi are planned to be held at UN structures in New York and Geneva, as well as at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Instructions were given to organize presentations at the center in 55 countries, host an international conference and exhibition on “The Role of Women in Islam”, and implement joint scientific and educational projects with the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, ICESCO, IRCICA, TURKSOY, and other international organizations.
To strengthen cooperation with foreign journalists and international media organizations, press tours, international media clubs, and media forums will be organized. To strengthen the center’s global brand, photo exhibitions, thematic presentations, and roundtables will be held at diplomatic missions abroad.
Issues related to creating more convenient conditions for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex, organizing visits in an orderly and meaningful manner, and improving information support and guide services were also addressed.
The Head of State approved the proposals presented and emphasized that the Islamic Civilization Center should become a place that showcases the rich cultural heritage of our people, the traditions of enlightenment, and the spiritual rise of New Uzbekistan to the world.
The responsible officials were instructed to systematically develop the center’s activities, expand research and publishing, establish a permanent mechanism for the return of cultural heritage, replenish museum collections, introduce digital technologies, and elevate international media promotion to a new level.
UzA
