For centuries, Central Asia was a crossroads of scientific discovery, scholarship and cultural exchange. Its historic cities, including Samarkand and Bukhara, developed into important centres of learning, connecting intellectual traditions across the Silk Roads and contributing to advances in mathematics, astronomy, medicine and religious thought.
Today, Uzbekistan is seeking to make that legacy more accessible internationally through research institutions, museum collections, digital technologies and academic cooperation.
These efforts were explored at an international conference held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, bringing together more than 300 participants, including scholars, diplomats and representatives of international organisations, according to the organisers.
The event was organised by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, alongside the country's Permanent Delegation and National Commission for UNESCO, its foreign ministry and several scientific and cultural institutions.
The initiative has its roots in a broader effort outlined by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the UN General Assembly in 2017, when he called for greater international recognition of Central Asia's intellectual heritage and emphasised the importance of education and religious tolerance.
In a further address to the UN in September 2025, he proposed presenting the scientific and spiritual legacy of the region's leading scholars at major international venues. The Paris conference, alongside presentations at UN venues in New York and Geneva, formed part of that programme.
Central Asia's intellectual legacy
Much of the discussion focused on Mawarannahr, historically known as Transoxiana, the region between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, encompassing much of present-day Uzbekistan and parts of neighbouring Central Asian countries.
The region produced or attracted scholars whose work influenced intellectual traditions across the Islamic world and beyond.
In an address reported by the Islamic Civilization Center, Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Director General of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), highlighted the contributions of Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina and Al-Biruni.
Their work reflected a scholarly tradition in which mathematics, medicine, philosophy and religious studies developed through exchanges of knowledge across different regions.
Farhan Ahmad Nizami, Director of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, also stressed that the region's historical monuments reflect a broader history of creativity and cultural exchange.
"Civilisations are not growing in isolation. We cross-fertilise each other, and it is a message that we need to share to see that we have much more in common than elements that separate us," Salima Dalibey, representing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, told Euronews.
Mehrdad Shabahang, head of UNESCO's Silk Roads Programme, highlighted the role of research institutions in documenting that shared history.
"These centres like the Uzbekistan Islamic Civilisation Center can help us to identify, to document and also to promote our shared past, our shared history," he said.
Firdavs Abdukhalikov, director of the Islamic Civilization Center, also emphasised the international significance of this legacy.
"Cultural heritage and our great ancestors belong to the whole world," he told Euronews.
Beyond the museum
A central part of this effort is the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent, whose museum exhibitions trace more than 3,000 years of history on the territory of present-day Uzbekistan, according to the Center.
Its activities include the study of rare manuscripts and historical artefacts, alongside digital technologies designed to support research and make collections accessible to a broader audience.
Abdukhalikov emphasised that its purpose extends beyond displaying historical objects.
"It is not just a beautiful, large building and museum. It is a major platform for scholarship and education," he told Euronews.
Frédérique Beaupertuis-Bressand, a specialist in the history and art of the Timurids, described the museum as a valuable resource for researchers and visitors.
"Finally, culture is being given the prominence it deserves. We can see these objects, touch them, and study them," she said, adding that access to collections offers further opportunities for historical research.
The Center is also connected to a wider network of specialised institutions, including international research centres dedicated to Imam Bukhari, Imam Termizi and Imam Maturidi.
Sali Shahsivari, managing director of the Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation, welcomed the expansion of these institutions, saying they were helping to bring greater attention to the region's cultural heritage.
The discussions in Paris also explored opportunities for international research cooperation, including joint studies, the digitisation of historical sources and closer collaboration between academic institutions. The Center also highlighted its use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in researching and presenting cultural heritage.
The discussions also considered how a better understanding of shared cultural heritage could contribute to dialogue between different societies.
"We live in a time where hate speech spreads very fast, so these opportunities to sit, speak, exchange ideas and dialogue help people understand each other and prepare for a culture of peace," Salima Dalibey of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation told Euronews.