INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WAS HOLD IN IMAM BUKHARI INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-RESEARCH CENTER

On May 7, 2019, at the International scientific-research centre of Imam Bukhari, by the US Institute of Peace has held an international conference entitled “Religious tolerance, strengthening cooperation in Central Asia in the prevention of violence and radicalization”. Nearly 60 foreign experts from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and the United States, as well as Islamic scholars and nongovernmental nonprofit organizations, participated in the conference.

The participants of the foreign conference were accepted by the Sh. Ziyodov director of the Imam Bukhari International scientific-research center and researchers. Firstly, foreign guests were informed about works of Imam Bukhari connected with the science of hadith belonging at various times, information about expositions and modern media. The guests watched with interest the rarest manuscripts and lithographs kept in the library, the wall paintings depicting the great muhaddith Imam Bukhari’s paintings of the test process and visitors were invited to the conference hall of the center.

The conference was managed by Gavin Xelf, a member of the Central Asian Association of the US Peace Institute, and Barmak Pajvak, senior staff at the Institute, and Myesha Sever, advisor to the Slovenian branch office of the organization “Regional Dialogue”.

Director of the International scientific-research centre of Imam Bukhari Sh. Ziyodov opened the meeting and informed about the history of the establishment, the created conditions for the academic staff, relations with foreign research institutions, the agreements reached and the joint activities.

Director of the US Peace Institute’s Central Asia and Afghanistan program spoke, experts from the US Institute of Peace have praised the Uzbek leadership’s efforts to carry out large-scale reforms in the country and the policy of the government and religious tolerance, against to extremism.

After that, the experts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, respectively, spoke on the Conference.

It should be noted that the representatives of each country have highly praised the work carried out by the President in Uzbekistan in recent years on strengthening cooperation and cooperation with foreign countries.

“Particularly, the attention of your country’s head to religious-enlightenment in recent years, as well as, efforts to further enhance the Islamic prestige are well accepted by Kazakhstan” said Aynur Abdirazik an expert from Kazakhstan.

“The establishment of this international research centre will unite Central Asian people. When we have been visiting the Arab countries from Kyrgyzstan, usually nobody knows where are we from and if we are also from Tajikistan.

Everyone knows Bukhara and Samarkand. From ancient times in Samarkand and Bukhara were the great scholars, the religion of Islam was developed, Kyrgyz religious leaders were educated in Bukhara’s Mir Arab madrasah and religious institutions in Tashkent, “said Zayir Ergashev, a Kyrgyz expert.

Another Kazakh expert, Aygul Sadvokasova, said: “We have been working on understanding the Central Asians for 25 years after independence, and today we have realized ourselves. That is, we have realized that as we work together with the fraternal peoples of Central Asia, we can achieve a great deal in every aspect. I would also like to underline the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan in these processes “.

In addition, experts from the Republic of Tajikistan, including Sherali Rizayan, spoke about the need to pay attention to the fight against extremism and radicalism. “As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan mentioned in the 72nd session of the United Nations, in the fight against ignorance, not with weapons, but “against ignorance with science” the initiative well accepted by the Central Asian nation and people of Tajikistan. We need to strengthen propaganda in these social networks and websites. “

Spoke at the conference, Afghan expert Ahmad Fahim Hakim said, “We are grateful for the initiative and efforts made by Uzbekistan for the maintenance of peace in Afghanistan and we call on our fraternal peoples to cooperate in the fight against these ignorances”.

The participants of the conference noted the interest of the representatives of the American Institute of Peace to expand cooperation with Central Asian research centres.

At the end of the conversation, the sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, identified the main directions of future cooperation.