As we wrote earlier, the International Cultural Forum "Central Asia at the Crossroads of World Civilizations" is planned to take place during 14-15 September 2021 in Khiva, Uzbekistan.
The event is organized in cooperation with UNESCO by the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, expressed at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2020. The initiative was supported by the head of the international organization UNESCO Audrey Azoulay: “I welcome the initiative of President Mirziyoyev to hold an international cultural forum on Central Asia in Khiva in 2021”.
Being one of the oldest cities on the Silk Road, Khiva was a center of education, science and culture and served as the crossroad of civilizations for many centuries. The historic heart of Khiva has been so well preserved that it’s often criticized as lifeless – a ‘museum city’. Even if you subscribe to that theory, you’ll have to admit that it’s one helluva museum. To walk through the walls and catch that first glimpse of the fabled Ichan-Qala (inner walled city) in all its monotoned, mud-walled glory is like stepping into another era. History is just a sniff away here.
The architectural monuments of Khiva are of unique value to the world. In the list of values of universal importance, Khorezm occupies a special place, as one of the centers of the world civilization and an important center on the Great Silk Road.
The city of Khiva was one of the first in Central Asia to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a place preserving to the world heritage of mankind in 1990. Khiva celebrated its 2500th anniversary under the aegis of UNESCO in 1997. Today Khiva keeps attracting more and more tourists visiting Uzbekistan.
The upcoming Forum is aimed at serving as a platform for a comprehensive exchange of ideas on the invaluable contribution of Uzbek people to the world civilization.
Another significant event as a part of the international forum will be the opening of the meeting of the Permanent Council of Culture Ministers of the TURKSOY countries. Within the framework of the program, a report on events within the framework of "Khiva - the cultural capital of the Turkic world", a presentation on the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2022, as well as the election of the Secretary-General of TURKIC for 2021-2024 will take place.
Another traditional event - The week of Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan will also take place during the 13-21 September in several cities of Uzbekistan, such as Tashkent, Khiva and Nukus. The Week of Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan will cover a number of bright cultural occasions demonstrating Uzbek culture and traditions. Within the framework of the Week, the Fifth Congress of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan named "Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan - the Foundation of a New Renaissance" will also be organized.
More than 350 scientists and experts from 46 countries of the world and Uzbekistan will participate in the congress - leading orientalists, Koranologists, experts, researchers, specialists in manuscripts and miniatures, and many others.
More than 10 exhibitions that will demonstrate unique masterpieces of Uzbek art will be held as a part of Cultural Heritage Week. The exhibitions include the following:
Photo exhibitions of the archaeologist, researcher of the culture of Central Asia Leon Semyonovich Barshchevsky, "History of Uzbekistan in photographs", "Cartography of Central Asia: between science and geopolitics", the photo exhibition "100 outstanding manuscripts of Uzbekistan", an exhibition of Rishtan ceramics, a virtual trip to the monuments of Shakhrisabz and Samarkand " 3D-technologies in modern science ", an exhibition of video art, painting by Zh. Usmanov" Poetry of A. Navoi ", an exhibition of the numismatic collection of the National Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and others.
The participant of the Cultural Heritage Week will visit Nukus and attend the opening ceremony of the International Scientific and Theoretical Conference "The Role of Bakhshi Art in the Civilization of World Culture" at the Nukus Bakhshi School. Following the opening ceremony, the participants will also attend the opening ceremony of the International Bakhshi Art Festival of Uzbekistan.
