UNESCO Samarkand Summit: Recognizing Uzbekistan's Role in Preserving World Heritage
For the first time in the organization's 40 years, the General Conference is being held outside of Paris, where its headquarters are located. This historic step recognizes the growing authority of the New Uzbekistan, its contribution to the preservation of humanity's cultural and spiritual heritage, and the development of international humanitarian cooperation.
Samarkand, a city where eras and cultures intertwine, has become not only a platform for dialogue between states but also a symbol of UNESCO's ideals: mutual understanding, tolerance, and cultural diversity. The holding of such a large-scale forum here reflects global recognition of Uzbekistan's commitment to cultural revival, education, and science, which form the foundation of the Third Renaissance concept proclaimed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Uzbekistan became a member of UNESCO in 1993, and cooperation between the country and the organization has been developing dynamically since then. A UNESCO Office has been operating in Tashkent since 1996. Over recent years, active contacts between the Uzbek leadership and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay have contributed to building a trusting dialogue and strengthening the partnership.
Uzbekistan twice served on UNESCO's Executive Board—from 1997 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2013—and has been a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2022. Currently, the country is implementing the UNESCO Country Programme for 2022–2026, covering education, science, culture, communication, and information.
One of the key areas of cooperation is the protection and promotion of Uzbekistan's unique cultural heritage. To date, seven Uzbek sites are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the historic center of Bukhara, Ichan-Kala, Samarkand – a crossroads of cultures, Shakhrisabz, ancient cities along the Silk Road, the Western Tien Shan, and the Turanian deserts.
Particular attention is paid to intangible cultural heritage. The UNESCO list includes 16 elements of Uzbek culture – from shoshmaqam and Boysun culture to the art of bakhshi, pilaf traditions, and the celebration of Navruz. These internationally recognized values reflect the richness of the spiritual world and the creative energy of the Uzbek people.
In recent years, at the initiative of Uzbekistan and UNESCO, large-scale cultural forums have been held: the Sharq Taronalari and Atlas Bayrami festivals, the maqom art forum, the bakhshi and crafts festivals in Kokand, and the Lazgi dance festival in Khiva. These projects have transformed the country into a hub for cultural dialogue in Eurasia.
Fruitful cooperation also extends to education. Uzbekistan hosts eight UNESCO Chairs and 24 Associated Schools, and Tashkent and Fergana are part of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. In 2024, a UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Heritage Tourism was opened at the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand.
Uzbekistan actively participates in UNESCO's global initiatives in science and technology. Two of the country's biosphere reserves—Chatkal and Lower Amu Darya—are included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, and multimillion-dollar projects are being implemented in the areas of water diplomacy and climate resilience.
An important step was the establishment in 2024 of the UNESCO-Uzbekistan International Abu Rayhon Beruni Prize for scientific research in the field of ethics of artificial intelligence. The first award ceremony will be held in Samarkand during the 43rd session of the General Conference.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has initiated a number of UNESCO resolutions, including the "Khiva Process: Promoting International Cooperation in Central Asia," the "Tashkent Declaration on Access to Information," and documents aimed at advancing education and sustainable development.
It is symbolic that Samarkand, where the 43rd session is now beginning, is becoming not only a meeting place for representatives of nearly two hundred countries, but also a space for ideas uniting the past and the future. Here, in the land where the sciences and arts of the East once flourished, a contemporary dialogue about the future of humanity will be held—in the spirit of UNESCO and the Third Renaissance.
Dunyo News Agency
