Uzbekistan’s Scholarly Heritage and Reforms Highlighted at UNESCO

An international academic conference titled “Islamic Civilization: Uzbekistan’s Great Spiritual and Scholarly Heritage, New Horizons of Enlightenment, and Dialogue among Civilizations” was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on October 7.

Otabek Mukhammadiyev, Deputy Director of the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, and Jonibek Jumayev, a department head at the Center, participated actively as members of Uzbekistan’s delegation, which brought together representatives of leading research centers, ministries and government agencies. They presented the Center’s research activities and educational projects to the international community.

As noted at the opening of the conference, the event reflected a broader international agenda. The global initiatives put forward by the President of Uzbekistan at last year’s 80th anniversary session of the United Nations General Assembly are now taking practical shape and gaining widespread international recognition.

Central to the conference was the call to support the newly established Center of Islamic Civilization internationally and to promote the rich scholarly and spiritual legacy of great scholars from Transoxiana, including Imam al-Bukhari, Imam al-Maturidi and Imam al-Tirmidhi. Through scholarly discussion, participants reaffirmed Islam’s essential message of goodness, peace, tolerance and enlightenment. The forum marked a memorable milestone in Uzbekistan’s cultural diplomacy.

During the panel titled “The Great Scholars and Thinkers of Transoxiana: A Legacy That Shaped the Development of World Civilization,” Otabek Mukhammadiyev delivered a presentation on “Imam al-Bukhari: The Great Tradition of Reliable Knowledge, Noble Character and Scholarly Responsibility.”

Speaking from UNESCO’s platform for the first time, Mukhammadiyev provided a detailed account of the rich scholarly legacy of Imam al-Bukhari, widely revered as the foremost authority in hadith scholarship. He highlighted the scholar’s unparalleled contribution to collecting authentic hadiths and preserving them for future generations. He also outlined the fundamental research and international cooperation currently undertaken by the Center to advance the study of Imam al-Bukhari’s legacy.

Mukhammadiyev emphasized that the intellectual heritage left by these great thinkers belongs to all humanity, extending beyond any single nation or region.

The forum also featured an exhibition and presentation of scholarly publications and books issued by the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center. Participants explored the Center’s research achievements in recent years and showed keen interest in its major monographs and collections devoted to the legacy of eminent scholars.

Throughout the conference, representatives of major international organizations and academic institutions praised Uzbekistan’s reforms in the spiritual and educational spheres. The forum concluded with important agreements to further strengthen international cooperation in science, culture and education.