Uzbekistan's Intellectual Heritage Takes Center Stage at the First International Forum of Islamic Civilization

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The first International Forum of Islamic Civilization opened in Uzbekistan on July 7 under the theme "The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment." In his address to participants, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, called for greater investment in education, stronger scientific cooperation, and the promotion of religious tolerance as essential responses to rising global conflict, extremism, and Islamophobia.

The Forum is organized by the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and has brought together more than 450 participants from over 50 countries, including religious leaders, scholars, government officials, representatives of international organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, and experts in culture and heritage.

Among the Forum's key international partners and participants are ICESCO, the Muslim World League, Al-Azhar University, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, IRCICA, the Organization of Turkic States, TURKSOY, the International Turkic Academy, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, the Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation, as well as leading research and educational institutions from across the Islamic world and Uzbekistan's international research centers.

The Forum reflects Uzbekistan's growing role as a center of Islamic scholarship and intercultural dialogue while advancing the concept of Islamic enlightenment, first introduced by President Mirziyoyev during the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2017. Addressing world leaders at the time, he emphasized that the principles of peace, tolerance, and enlightenment at the heart of Islam are universal values capable of uniting societies rather than dividing them.

In a message read at the Forum's opening ceremony, President Mirziyoyev noted that despite unprecedented scientific and technological progress, the world is facing growing geopolitical tensions, declining trust between nations, and increasing attempts to deepen divisions between cultures and religions. "In these challenging times, noble ideals, including Islamic values, remain the most important and enduring foundations of peace, social progress, harmony and enlightenment."

The President stressed that Islam has historically encouraged scientific inquiry, education, artistic development, and intellectual discovery, rejecting the notion that religion is incompatible with modern progress. He paid particular tribute to the enduring contributions of Central Asia's great scholars, including Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, and Mirzo Ulugh Beg, whose achievements transformed mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and philosophy and continue to shape global science today.

Delivering greetings on behalf of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Allahshukur Pashazade described Uzbekistan as "a beacon of Islamic knowledge for centuries" and praised the country's efforts to preserve and promote its rich intellectual heritage.

Bringing together leading representatives of Islamic scholarship, education, culture, and public life, the Forum will examine the lasting contribution of Islamic civilization to peace, tolerance, enlightenment, and intercultural dialogue. It also underscores Uzbekistan's commitment to preserving its intellectual heritage while expanding international cooperation in science, education, and cultural exchange.

"In 2017, speaking at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for combating extremism and Islamophobia through enlightenment, science, and culture, laying the foundation for a state policy based on the principle of 'Enlightenment Against Ignorance.'

Over the years, Uzbekistan has established a modern cultural, educational, scientific, and academic infrastructure that supports the comprehensive study, preservation, and promotion of the intellectual heritage of Islamic civilization. The cornerstone of these efforts is the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, which brings together research, museum activities, educational initiatives, and international cooperation within a single state-of-the-art complex.

The First International Forum of Islamic Civilization marks the beginning of a new era of global cooperation. It has brought together 450 distinguished scholars and experts from more than 50 countries, including representatives of leading religious and international organizations, research institutes, universities, and cultural institutions. Such broad and distinguished participation reflects the Forum's high international standing and its importance for the development of global humanitarian cooperation.

As Forum participants have noted, the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan is becoming a platform for shaping a new international agenda for humanitarian cooperation based on knowledge, enlightenment, mutual respect, and trust. The Forum concluded with agreements to launch numerous joint research initiatives, international expeditions, educational programs, digital manuscript preservation projects, and other major cultural initiatives aimed at strengthening peace, mutual understanding, and dialogue among civilizations," said Dr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan.

Over the next five days, delegates will participate in high-level plenary sessions, specialized conferences, exhibitions, and cultural events across three historic cities. Discussions will focus on preserving and studying Islamic manuscripts and cultural heritage, applying digital technologies and artificial intelligence to historical research, expanding international academic cooperation, and exploring the relevance of Islamic intellectual traditions in addressing today's global challenges.

The Forum will also serve as a platform for presenting new publications, launching major cultural and scientific initiatives, signing international cooperation agreements, and adopting the Declaration of the First International Forum of Islamic Civilization, which will outline a shared vision for future collaboration in promoting the universal values of Islamic civilization.

Among the Forum's flagship events are international conferences dedicated to the scholarly legacy of Imam al-Bukhari, Imam al-Maturidi, and Imam al-Tirmidhi, highlighting the profound influence of their works on the development of Islamic thought and world civilization.

Notes to Editors

About the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan

Opened in March 2026, the Center of Islamic Civilization is located on the historic site of Shash, in the heart of Tashkent, adjacent to the capital's spiritual center, the Hazrati Imam Complex. The three-story building measures 145 by 115 meters, while its central dome rises 65 meters above the ground.

At the heart of the Center is the Uthman Quran, one of the world's oldest surviving handwritten copies of the Qur'an. The manuscript is included in UNESCO Memory of the World Programme, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting documentary heritage of global significance.

The main museum spans approximately 15,000 square meters, while additional facilities include a research center, digitization laboratories, and conservation and restoration workshops. Visitors will be able to view rare artifacts from different historical periods, acquired at international auctions and from private collections at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan. The Center also features collections from museums around the world and the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan (WOSCU). Interactive exhibitions showcase breakthroughs in algebra, astronomy, and medicine—among the defining achievements of the Islamic Golden Age.

Even before its official opening, the Center received broad international recognition. In 2026, it was named among the world's most beautiful museums by the Prix Versailles, featured by Smithsonian Magazine and BBC Travel as one of the year's most anticipated new museums, and entered the Guinness World Records as the world's largest museum dedicated to Islamic civilization.

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