Uzbekistan presented the Islamic Civilization Center during an international conference held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, bringing together more than 300 scholars, diplomats and representatives of international organizations, according to UzA. The conference, titled "Islamic Civilization: Mawarannahr’s Great Spiritual and Scientific Heritage and Horizons of Enlightenment," focused on the contributions of Central Asian scholars to world civilization and opportunities to expand international cooperation in science, culture and education.
Participants included UNESCO officials, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organizations, universities, research institutions, museums and libraries. The event provided a platform for discussions on Central Asia's scientific and cultural heritage, with particular attention to the historical contributions of scholars and thinkers from Mawarannahr.
One of the main components of the conference was a presentation of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan. The presentation introduced international participants to the Center's concept, its principal areas of activity and the results of research and museum-related work carried out as part of the project. The Center's Director, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, stated that the conference followed an initiative proposed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2025.
"This event marks the practical realization of an initiative proposed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2025. This is a very important and historic step," Abdukhalikov said.
The presentation also outlined the Center's role in studying and presenting Uzbekistan's historical, scientific and cultural heritage to an international audience. The conference's scientific program consisted of three thematic sessions covering different aspects of Islamic civilization and the intellectual history of Central Asia.
The first session focused on the spiritual and intellectual heritage of Central Asia, examining its place in the broader history of civilization. The second session addressed the role of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan as an international platform for cooperation in science and culture. The third session examined the contributions of scholars and thinkers from Mawarannahr to the development of world civilization. The discussions brought together representatives of academic and cultural institutions, providing an opportunity to exchange views on research, historical heritage and international cooperation.
The conference also addressed the importance of cooperation among universities, research institutes, museums and libraries in studying and presenting Central Asia's cultural and scientific legacy. Through the presentation at UNESCO Headquarters, Uzbekistan introduced the Islamic Civilization Center's research activities, museum work and areas of international cooperation to representatives of academic, diplomatic and cultural institutions.