Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation and The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts Announce Landmark Partnership

New Naqsh School of Crafts in Tashkent will champion traditional arts and culture

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) will today announce an exciting new partnership with The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts (KFSTA), an education institution established by King Charles III in the early 1990s to promote and sustain traditional arts and skills worldwide.

The announcement comes just days before the start of the 43^rd UNESCO General Conference in the ancient city of Samarkand, the first time that the high-profile event has been held outside France for 40 years. The honour of staging the conference, which runs from 30 October until 13 November and will be attended by more than 5,000 delegates from 194 countries, is recognition of Uzbekistan's cultural achievements, championed and led by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the ACDF.

Heralding the partnership, Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the ACDF, said: "This is a defining moment for Uzbekistan's cultural sector. By combining our strength with the expertise of the KFSTA, we will nurture a new generation of artists and craftspeople, ensuring that Uzbekistan's living heritage continues to inspire and connect people around the world."

Dr. Khaled Azzam, Director of the KFSTA, which boasts decades of expertise in traditional arts education, said: "We are delighted to partner with the ACDF in this ambitious initiative. Our collaboration will not only advance the progress of art and culture in Uzbekistan but also illustrates the growing global contribution of The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts in supporting the regeneration of traditional arts and skills."

The ACDF will also announce the establishment of the Naqsh School of Crafts, a new educational institution located in the new Center for Islamic Civilization that will champion the preservation and promotion of Uzbekistan's traditional crafts. Naqsh is the Uzbek word for decorative motifs used in art, architecture, textiles or crafts and is also used metaphorically in literature to signify a lasting impression.

Working with experts from the KFSTA, the Naqsh School of Crafts will run five courses during its pilot year. The first began in Tashkent earlier this month and will shortly move to Samarkand where students will engage with the architectural and decorative context of the iconic Ulugh Beg Madrasa, built in the early 15^th century by one of the greatest astronomers and scholars of the Islamic Golden Age.

Many of Uzbekistan's living craft traditions appear on UNESCO's official lists of cultural practices and traditions considered important to preserve for future generations and contribute to Uzbekistan's expanding SME sector, which provides important employment in rural areas and within cultural tourism.

Further information about the ACDF and Ms. Umerova can be found at www.acdf.uz and about the KFSTA and Dr. Azzam at www.schooloftraditionalarts.org

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