The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the 6th International Congress on the “Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan,” which was held on July 21-24, 2022, in Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan, under the theme “Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan – The Foundation of the New Renaissance.”

The Congress, which saw the participation of several specialists, experts and representatives of specialized international and regional organizations, seeks to valorize and promote the Uzbek heritage, and discuss the implementation stages of the “Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan in World Collections” Multimedia Project, which is aimed at promoting masterpieces of the Uzbek heritage stored in the country and abroad through indexing.

In ICESCO’s video-recorded address at the opening session of the Congress, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector, underscored the Organization’s keenness to cooperate with governmental and private bodies and institutions in Uzbekistan, in protecting the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. He also reviewed ICESCO’s new vision, which endeavors to valorize the Islamic world’s heritage through several action plans and projects, namely the “ICESCO’s Roads for the Future” Civilizational Project.
In his intervention, Mr. Bilel Chebbi, Expert at the Culture and Communication Sector, reviewed the ICESCO’s vision, action strategy, and efforts in the area of cultural heritage preservation in the Islamic world, notably the establishment of the Islamic World Heritage Center, which has become a focal point for expertise in this field.

Seven Uzbek sites are inscribed on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, and the competent authorities are working on their valorization and are developing site management plans in cooperation with ICESCO.