During the visit to Madrid, Spain, the Uzbek delegation visited the Mueller&Schindler publishing house. This publishing house closely cooperates with the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan (WOSCU).
Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Chairman of WOSCU and Director of the Center for Islamic Civilization, Khayriddin Sultanov, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan and People's Writer, Khurshid Fayziev, Director of the State Museum of the History of the Timurids, Ekaterina Soboleva, WOSCU Coordinator, met with Charlotte Kramer, President of Mueller & Schindler, Vice President Alexander Wilhelm, and company specialists.
Mueller&Schindler is one of Europe's leading publishing houses. Since 2017, it has been cooperating with WOSCU and implementing a number of projects. These projects have received high international recognition. In particular, facsimiles of such unique works as "Husayn Boyqaro's Divan", "Zafarnoma" (with miniatures by Kamoliddin Behzod), "Katta Langar Qur'an", "Temur Tuzuklari" and "Me'rojnoma" were created. Additionally, the Mueller&Schindler publishing house created a facsimile copy of the manuscript "The Book of Fixed Stars", written by order of Mirzo Ulugbek over the course of three years. The facsimile was presented in Samarkand in 2022 and returned to the Ulugbek Observatory. The original of the book is kept in the National Library in Paris.
During the meeting in Madrid, new facsimile publications were presented, future joint projects were discussed, and views were exchanged on promoting Uzbekistan's rich historical and cultural heritage on the international stage. A major international project titled "114 Qurans" was also at the center of discussions. This initiative is being implemented in cooperation with WOSCU and the Center for Islamic Civilization. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to collect the finest examples of Quranic calligraphy and decorative art in one volume. It is attended by leading specialists from around the world - Quran scholars, art historians, and restorers. As a result, it is planned to prepare a high-quality edition containing 114 of the world's rarest Quran manuscripts related to the history of Uzbekistan, enriched with scientific commentaries.
The tourism book project "Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand" was also discussed. This project serves to enrich the international perception of Uzbekistan by broadly highlighting the country's regions, rich architectural heritage, historical cities, natural landscapes, and modern cultural environment.
In the future, an initiative was put forward to publish the work "Temur's Regulations" in Spanish. This work is considered a significant historical source that embodies the governance system, political principles, and strategic thinking of the Timurid state. It was noted that the implementation of this project will bring the Timurid heritage closer to Spanish-speaking students, give a new impetus to scientific research, and strengthen cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Spanish-speaking countries. Mueller & Schindler supported this initiative, highly praising its scientific and cultural significance.
This visit is an important step in the further development of international publishing and cultural cooperation and once again confirms the growing interest of the world community in the rich historical and cultural heritage of Uzbekistan.