The authoritative publication CNN published an article about Uzbekistan's efforts to restore and preserve its rich historical heritage. The article extensively covers the Center of Islamic Civilization being built in Tashkent, its role in spiritual awakening, Uzbekistan's unprecedented work in returning unique artifacts of historical significance, and the country's influence in world culture.
Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan - Cultural and Educational Mega Project
The article emphasizes that the Center of Islamic Civilization, which is expected to officially open in March 2026, is not just a museum complex, but a large-scale cultural and educational mega-project aimed at reviewing the role of Islamic heritage in world history. Its goal is to study the cultural and historical heritage of Uzbekistan and preserve it for future generations.
The idea of establishing the center was first put forward by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2017 from the United Nations rostrum, where he outlined the main principles of the project.
Eight years after the President presented this historical concept, it acquired a visible architectural symbol. The 65-meter-high dome and four portals symbolize the unity of the country's territories. In the center of the complex is the hall of the Holy Quran, where the famous 7th-century Uthman Mushaf (Quran manuscript), included by UNESCO in the international "Memory of the World" list, is kept. The concept of the exhibitions, enriched with modern digital installations, is built along a chronological axis from the pre-Islamic period to the First and Second Renaissance, the New Age, and New Uzbekistan.
The center combines science, art, and education. It has a huge library with 200 thousand books, a school of calligraphy, craft workshops, and a repair laboratory. The center houses offices of international organizations, including the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture Research (IRCICA), the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and other scientific and cultural institutions.
WOSCU collaboration
One of the main tasks of the center is the repatriation of artifacts that have remained abroad for many years. Delegations of Uzbek scientists and art historians visited the world's leading auction houses, as well as well-known private collectors and galleries. As a result of these large-scale works, more than a thousand unique items were returned to Uzbekistan.
At the same time, the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan (WOSCU), which unites more than 400 researchers from 20 countries, supported the scientific and cultural directions of the Center and donated about 1000 rare artifacts, manuscripts, and museum exhibits. These items originate from regions such as Maverannahr, Khorasan, Iran, and India and are an integral part of Uzbekistan's historical heritage.
At the end of the article, CNN quotes the Director of the Center, Chairman of WOSCU Firdavs Abdukhalikov. It emphasizes that the project's goal is to "combine knowledge and heritage scattered throughout history", and the Center aims to demonstrate Islamic civilization as a "civilization of peace, goodness, science, enlightenment, and spirituality".
