Ample Opportunities to Strengthen Cooperation

As part of their working visit to Türkiye, the leadership of the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center held another high-level meeting at the Centre for Islamic Studies (İslam Araştırmaları Merkezi – ISAM), affiliated with the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation.

ISAM is a prestigious academic and research institution that has earned international recognition for publishing the multi-volume Türkiye Diyanet Foundation Encyclopaedia of Islam and maintaining an extensive research library with rich collections in Islamic studies, source studies, and history.

During the visit, Prof. Dr. Shovosil Ziyodov, Director of the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, and Dr. Otabek Mukhammadiev, Deputy Director, met with Prof. Dr. Mürteza Bedir, Director of ISAM, to discuss prospects for further strengthening cooperation between the two institutions.

It is worth noting that the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center and ISAM signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2024, laying the groundwork for a series of successful joint initiatives. Notably, the two institutions jointly organized the Fourth Annual International Conference on the Hanafi School of Islamic Jurisprudence later that year. More recently, in collaboration with several partner institutions, they successfully concluded a major international academic symposium entitled “Imam Bukhari’s Scholarly Legacy: Traditional and Contemporary Approaches.”

During the meeting, Prof. Dr. Mürteza Bedir expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved and emphasized that all the necessary conditions were in place to elevate bilateral cooperation to a new level. He particularly highlighted the wide-ranging reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan to study Islamic civilization and preserve the intellectual legacy of great scholars, describing these efforts as a solid foundation for expanding academic partnerships.

The discussions concluded with an agreement to further enhance institutional cooperation through the joint organization of international conferences and academic seminars, the exchange of scholars and specialists, and the development of new collaborative research projects.