Hosting of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand reflects recognition of Uzbekistan’s contribution to global cultural and educational progress
At the conclusion of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, held in Paris from 7 to 22 November 2023, a historic decision was adopted to convene the next session—the 43rd session—in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2025.
The resolution received unanimous support from all 194 Member States of the Organization, serving as a high-level recognition of the comprehensive reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan in recent years.
This initiative was also a great diplomatic achievement for Uzbekistan, as UNESCO announced that its session would be held in another country for the first time in 40 years.
The selection of Samarkand as the venue for this high-profile global event stands as a clear testament to the international recognition of Uzbekistan’s significant achievements in the fields of culture, science, education, communication, and information, as well as its rich historical and cultural heritage.
As one of the oldest and most prominent cities in Central Asia, Samarkand is renowned for its magnificent architectural monuments and rich historical legacy. Historically, the city served as a key crossroads along the Great Silk Road, linking East and West. Today, Samarkand is celebrated for its iconic landmarks such as Registan Square, the Ulugh Beg Observatory, and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis. These sites not only reflect the architectural grandeur and scientific advancements of the ancient world, but also testify to the city’s enduring role as a hub of cultural exchange and its profound contribution to the development of world civilization.
In this regard, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his sincere gratitude to all international partners and friends for their support of the historic decision to hold the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in the ancient city of Samarkand in 2025.
“On behalf of the multinational people of Uzbekistan and personally, I sincerely thank all our foreign friends and partners for supporting the historic decision to hold the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in the ancient city of Samarkand in 2025,” the Head of State wrote on his Telegram channel. “I believe that this important global event, being held in our region for the first time, will once again showcase to the international community the vast civilizational potential of Uzbekistan and the Central Asian states. In turn, Uzbekistan will mobilize all its efforts to organize and conduct the upcoming session at the highest level”.
Additionally, on March 16, 2024, President of Uzbekistan issued a decree on “Measures to Prepare for the Holding of the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference in the City of Samarkand in 2025”.
According to the decree, an Organizing Committee has been established to oversee preparations for the event, and necessary measures are actively being implemented.
Working groups have been established by the Organizing Committee to coordinate and implement activities related to the session, with preparatory work currently underway. Matters concerning the arrival and departure of session participants to and from our country, visa facilitation, provision of transportation and medical services, as well as their participation in the main events and cultural programs are being addressed in close coordination with UNESCO.
According to available information, over 5,000 participants from 194 countries are expected to attend the 43rd session and its related events.
Within the framework of the main conference, the Government of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with UNESCO, plans to hold a series of joint events. These events will focus on pressing issues such as the role of artificial intelligence technologies in museum operations, gender equality, the empowerment of women, and other relevant topics.
Additionally, on the eve of the main conference, the 14th UNESCO Youth Forum as well as the 12th Interregional Meeting of National Commissions for UNESCO will be held in the city of Samarkand.
Uzbekistan’s cooperation with UNESCO is developing comprehensively. With the support of this international organization, a range of initiatives are being implemented to widely promote our country’s rich history, ancient traditions, and national values, ensuring their preservation for future generations. Furthermore, these priorities are considered among the key strategic directions of our national policy.
Notably, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has met with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay on multiple occasions. Their most recent meeting took place in Paris.
On March 12 of this year, during his state visit to France, President Mirziyoyev held talks with Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General reaffirming Uzbekistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
During the dialogue, issues related to further enhancing effective cooperation with this prominent United Nations agency were discussed, as well as the practical aspects of preparing for and hosting the 43rd session of the Organization’s General Conference scheduled for this autumn in the city of Samarkand.
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General highly praised the fruitful cooperation with Uzbekistan and expressed gratitude to the Head of State for the comprehensive preparations underway for the upcoming event.
During the dialogue, the parties agreed to further expand practical cooperation programs and to continue close collaboration in organizing forums and events within the framework of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference.
For thousands of years, our region has served as a vital bridge along the historic Silk Road, connecting East and West, and continues to make a significant contribution to fostering intercultural understanding, knowledge exchange, and global cooperation. In this regard, Samarkand’s selection as the host city for the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference carries profound symbolic meaning.
It is important to emphasize that at a time when various conflicts are emerging worldwide, Central Asia has become one of the most significant geopolitical and geo-economic arenas of the 21st century. This region, from the perspectives of geography, civilization, and resources, serves as a vital bridge among major centers of power. In recent years, Uzbekistan has effectively employed "soft power" as a key element of its foreign policy. This diplomacy is founded on mutual respect, shared values, and the exchange of art and traditions.
It is noteworthy that Uzbekistan became a member of UNESCO on October 26, 1993. Since 1996, the UNESCO Office has been operating in Tashkent. Member states of the Organization are required to establish National Commissions on UNESCO affairs to coordinate their interactions with the Organization. In this regard, the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO Affairs was established on December 29, 1994.
Over the past period, Uzbekistan has maintained effective cooperation with UNESCO across various fields. Within the framework of bilateral relations with this organization, UNESCO’s international registers occupy a special place. Notably, as a result of Uzbekistan’s successful diplomatic efforts, the country’s ancient historical and cultural elements have been inscribed on UNESCO’s lists. Several registries and listings can be highlighted in this regard. In particular, to date, seven sites in Uzbekistan have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, namely: the Historic Centre of Itchan Kala in Khiva, the Historic Centre of Bukhara, the Historic Centre of Shahrisabz, Samarkand — the Crossroad of Cultures, the Western Tian Shan, the Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor of the Great Silk Road, and the Kyzylkum Desert (Turon Sands).
Currently, the nomination dossiers for "Tashkent Modernism Architecture" and "The Great Silk Road: Fergana-Syrdarya Route" have been submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre for consideration for inscription on this list.
Another important list maintained by UNESCO is the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This list includes 16 elements of the intangible cultural heritage of the Uzbek people, 11 of which have been inscribed since 2016. These include Shashmaqam, the cultural traditions of Boysun, Katta Ashula, the art of Askiya wit, the culture and traditions related to Pilaf, the customs of celebrating Nowruz, the Margilan handicraft development center, the preservation of traditional technologies for producing atlas and adras textiles, Lazgi dance, miniature art, Bakhshi singing, sericulture and traditional silk production, traditional stories about Khoja Nasreddin, Uzbek pottery art, painting (Naqqoshlik) art, Iftorlyk and its socio-cultural traditions, as well as the art of making and playing the rubab.
Currently, new nomination dossiers for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity have been submitted to UNESCO for "Embroidery Art," "Practical Knowledge and Skills in Preparing Karakalpak Otovs," "The Art of Making and Playing the Qobuz," "Traditional Felt-making," and "Uzbek Kurash."
In addition, UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” Register, established in 1992, aims to preserve and prevent the irreversible loss of documentary heritage — materials of significant and enduring value recorded on paper, audiovisual, digital, or any other medium — and to ensure their broad accessibility to the public.
Until 2023, Uzbekistan had successfully inscribed several significant cultural heritage items into UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, including the Holy Uthman Qur’an preserved in the city of Tashkent, the manuscript collection held at the Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, and the archival documents of the Khiva Khanate’s Divan Khana. In the period of 2023-2024, four additional documentary collections related to Uzbekistan’s history were included in this prestigious register. These are the Mawlana Collection, the Archives of the Administration of the Kushbegi of the Emirate of Bukhara, the photographic collection of Khudoybergan Devanov, and the Turkestan Album.
Another significant area of UNESCO’s work is the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which currently includes two sites from Uzbekistan: the Chatkal State Biosphere Reserve (established in 1978) and the Lower Amu Darya State Biosphere Reserve (designated in 2021).
In 2022, Uzbekistan was elected for the first time in its history as a member of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022–2026 term.
From 14 to 16 November 2022, the Second World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (WCECCE), organized by UNESCO, was held in the city of Tashkent with the participation of Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, along with representatives from nearly 150 countries and senior officials of international organizations.
In September 2023, the 1050th anniversary of the birth of Abu Rayhan al-Biruni was widely commemorated at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
In 2024, the International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage "Silk Road" in Samarkand established a new academic department dedicated to “Sustainable Historical Tourism along the Silk Road.”
Furthermore, efforts are currently underway to establish a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO on Early Childhood Education in the city of Tashkent. The decision regarding the Centre is expected to be formally approved within the framework of the upcoming Samarkand General Conference, during which a special event dedicated to the presentation of this Centre is also planned.
On 1 April 2025, a series of events titled “Uzbekistan at the Crossroads of the Great Silk Road” was held at UNESCO Headquarters, highlighting Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage and in celebration of the upcoming Samarkand General Conference.
In 2024, Uzbekistan became a full member of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) — a key advisory body to UNESCO in the field of cultural heritage conservation.
Currently, UNESCO is preparing a set of reports and recommendations on the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in Uzbekistan. At the same time, the country is also actively working towards the ratification of the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. These important initiatives are expected to be fully realized within the framework of the Samarkand General Conference.
Uzbekistan continues to implement a wide range of technical assistance and grant projects in cooperation with UNESCO across various sectors. Notable among these are: “Developing employability skills in rural areas”; “Expanding the use of information and communication technologies and digital education in higher education”; “Improving the quality and delivery of educational services in Uzbekistan”; “Enhancing access to information, institutional accountability, and media literacy”; “Reducing vulnerability to glacial lake outburst floods” (GLOFs).
To date, Uzbekistan has acceded to 10 international conventions under the auspices of UNESCO, demonstrating its strong commitment to the Organization’s core values in the fields of education, science, culture, and information. One of the most notable recent developments was the establishment, in 2023, of the UNESCO–Uzbekistan International Prize named after Abu Rayhan al-Biruni. This prestigious award was launched in cooperation with UNESCO to promote scientific dialogue through the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) and to encourage global reflection on the responsible application of emerging technologies. The inaugural laureates of the Prize are expected to be officially recognized during a special high-level event held within the framework of the Samarkand General Conference.
“For the first time in 40 years, the UNESCO General Conference will not be held in Paris, but rather in Uzbekistan — at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev”, - said Sara Noshadi, Head of the UNESCO Representative Office in Uzbekistan. - While this may be one of the most significant events for Uzbekistan, it is also an extremely important milestone for UNESCO. Today, the entire world is talking about it — and Uzbekistan is at the center of global attention. First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this opportunity. UNESCO has been closely cooperating with the Government of Uzbekistan for nearly 30 years, and as an international organization, we have been particularly attentive to the bold reforms launched in 2016–2017. This is because our work spans across culture, education, communication, information, as well as the social and natural sciences.
I would especially like to highlight the wide-ranging reforms in the education sector — from early childhood education to higher education — which have been consistently welcomed and supported by UNESCO”.
In conclusion, it is worth emphasizing that holding the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand is not only a recognition of Uzbekistan’s growing contribution to global cultural and intellectual development, but also a unique opportunity to once again underscore the importance of preserving historical and cultural heritage. This high-level gathering serves as an international platform for cultural exchange and discussions on the prospects of sustainable development. Uzbekistan is once again reaffirming its role as a vital center of world culture and science. Furthermore, the Samarkand Conference will act as a bridge for intercultural dialogue, promoting the exchange of experiences and the adoption of best practices across diverse societies.
Dunyo IA
