Uzbekistan Positions Islamic Heritage as Bridge for Global Cooperation

Tashkent (GNP): Uzbekistan is working to position its Islamic heritage and Silk Road legacy as a bridge for international cooperation, while presenting the country’s rapid modernization to a global audience.

Speaking at the International Media Forum “Islamic Civilization: A New Perspective, New Discoveries” in Tashkent, adviser to Uzbekistan’s foreign minister Munira Aminova said Central Asia’s importance was growing amid mounting geopolitical challenges facing the region.

Aminova pointed to Uzbekistan’s rapid transformation, citing new infrastructure and development projects taking shape across the country, and said the presence of international journalists, scholars, and media professionals at the forum reflected rising global interest in Uzbekistan’s progress.

She also underscored the historic role of the Silk Road, describing it as more than a trade corridor and instead a channel through which knowledge and ideas moved between continents for centuries, a legacy she said continues to shape the country’s outward-facing identity today.

Building on that historical framing, Aminova said the Center for Islamic Civilization had been designed not only to safeguard the past but to serve Uzbekistan’s present and future as a tool of cultural diplomacy, linking the country’s heritage directly to its modern foreign policy goals.

That same emphasis on preservation extended to the forum’s discussions on protecting historic Quran manuscripts, an effort organizers described as central to keeping Islamic cultural heritage accessible for future generations.

Among these preservation initiatives, Mueller & Schindler Vice President Alexander Wilhelm presented the “114 Qurans” project, which compiles 114 Quran manuscripts to showcase the diversity of Islamic calligraphy through high-quality reproductions designed to preserve the original works’ colours and visual detail.

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Center for Islamic Civilization Scientific Secretary Rustam Djabborov separately outlined the restoration and research work underway on the historic Kattalangar Quran, noting that the project remains far from complete given the scale of the preservation effort involved.

The forum’s cultural programming also extended to film, with a presentation on an upcoming documentary titled “Mosque,” produced as part of a project exploring the shared historical heritage of Uzbekistan and Russia.

St. Petersburg Documentary Film Studio Director General Alexei Telnov said the film was shot by an Uzbek cinematographer and is expected for release soon, adding a cinematic dimension to the forum’s broader push to connect heritage preservation with contemporary media.

Taken together, the sessions reflect Uzbekistan’s wider effort to link its historical and Islamic heritage with modern media, cultural exchange, and international diplomacy through the Center for Islamic Civilization and related initiatives involving global media professionals, publishers, and filmmakers. Says Munira Aminova, “Building trust between countries is related to culture.”