A great historical event for Uzbekistan

 

Scholars are describing the return of rare artifacts and priceless treasures related to Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage from prestigious auction houses and private collectors in the United Kingdom, made possible by the initiative of the country’s leader and the practical support of the government, as a historic event for Uzbekistan.

 

At the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, the next session of the Enlarged Academic Council was held. The meeting gathered council members, heads of working groups, including Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni, Professor Bahrom Abduhalimov, Academician Akbar Hakimov, Doctor of History and Professor Jannat Ismoilova, Director of the Uzbekistan Gallery of Fine Arts, Academician and art scholar Kamola Akilova, as well as the leadership and staff of the Center.

 

At the beginning of the meeting, Director of the Center Firdavs Abdukhalikov provided information on projects being implemented in cooperation with foreign academic and cultural institutions, researchers, and scholars within the framework of the idea of the Head of State to establish the Center of Islamic Civilization. He also noted that official delegations are being sent abroad to enrich the Center’s content and fill its exhibitions with the rarest artifacts related to the history and culture of Uzbekistan.

 

As practical proof of these opportunities created by the Head of State, delegations of Uzbek scholars and researchers have recently returned from study visits to a number of museums, libraries, and research centers in the UK in search of rare and ancient artifacts of our cultural heritage.

 

It was noted at the meeting that world treasures, including unique examples of Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, are preserved in institutions such as the British Museum, the British Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Bodleian Library.

 

London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is also famous for its major auction houses. Each year, many artifacts related to the cultural heritage of Eastern peoples are put up for auction at these houses. Therefore, close cooperation with such major trade organizations plays a significant role in repatriating historical objects, manuscripts, and exhibits connected to Uzbekistan.

 

On this basis, on July 7–8 of this year, exhibitions of such artifacts were organized in London at “Sotheby’s” and “Christie’s” auction centers in collaboration with the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United Kingdom. Reporting on these exhibitions, the Director of the Center emphasized at the council meeting that the Head of State not only initiated the establishment of the Center of Islamic Civilization but is also personally overseeing its realization. This broad initiative is being implemented in line with his directives to repatriate historical and spiritual treasures to the Motherland.

 

“This is not merely the return of ancient artifacts, but the revival of historical memory, national identity, and a lofty initiative in preserving Uzbekistan’s Islamic heritage,” said the director of the Center.

 

It was also highlighted that for the first time, exhibitions presenting these artifacts to the international public were attended by leading Orientalists and experts, officials from renowned museums and libraries, as well as well-known collectors from around the world.

 

Exhibits Presented at the Exhibition

 

At the meeting, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and Doctor of Art Studies, Akbar Hakimov, delivered a presentation on the exhibits selected from these auction houses for the Center’s exhibition.

 

During our latest trip to the United Kingdom, many masterpieces related to our history were showcased to the public. All the guests expressed great interest in this initiative and praised it highly. While there, we also became acquainted with private collections of art dealers and identified several artifacts linked to Uzbekistan. There were even embroideries dating back to the pre-Islamic period, said Academician Hakimov at the start of his presentation.

 

If such unique exhibits return…

 

According to Professor Bahrom Abduhalimov, Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies named after Abu Rayhan Beruni, if such unique exhibits are returned, Uzbekistan’s museums will rank second among CIS countries in terms of richness and uniqueness.

 

The return of these exhibits will not only enrich the exhibition of the Center of Islamic Civilization but also mark a great historical event for Uzbekistan. If such unique exhibits are brought back, Uzbekistan’s museums will occupy the second place among CIS states in terms of wealth and rarity. It is especially pleasing that during our visit to London, we identified the oldest manuscript of Ibn Sina’s “Kitab al-Shifa.” The work consists of 600 folios and has been preserved in excellent condition. This provides grounds to assume that the manuscript was kept in the Timurid or Mughal court libraries.

 

Until today, we thought that our heritage preserved abroad would never return. But these efforts initiated by the government once again proved that such assumptions were wrong, noted Professor Abduhalimov.

 

Unanimous support from the council

 

It was reported that during official visits to the United Kingdom, based on the proposals and observations of special delegation members, 46 lots had already been purchased from the prestigious auction houses “Sotheby’s” and “Christie’s”. During the next trip, a list of more than 120 historical artifacts was compiled from various private collections in the UK. These items include cultural monuments created between the 5th century BCE and the 19th century CE. The matter of repatriating these artifacts was put to discussion at the Enlarged Academic Council. All members unanimously approved and supported the initiative.

 

Participation of international partners

 

International partners also had the opportunity to speak at the meeting. Alexandra Belousova, representative of the French company “Avesto Group”, which has been contributing to the development of the Center’s exhibitions in Uzbekistan for many years, shared updates on recent developments. The company is currently involved in arranging showcases, touch panels, historical artifacts, and other exhibition tools. Progress is being made in the Qur’an Hall, the Pre-Islamic Era section, the First and Second Renaissance halls, and the “New Uzbekistan – foundation of the New Renaissance” hall.

 

Another important task

 

Usmon Sharifkhojaev, Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection, gave a presentation on the work carried out by a small working group to implement inclusive opportunities for visitors with disabilities in the museum of the Center.

 

Special attention is being given to ensuring that every exhibition is comprehensible to visitors with limited abilities. In particular, media projects and design proposals developed by “Avesto Group” from France must include sign language translations under the content. Additionally, measures are being taken to ensure navigation through the center with clearly indicated directional signs.

 

Preparations for the Global Exhibition

 

The agenda also included the confirmation of the global exhibition and the list of artifacts to be brought to Uzbekistan from foreign countries. These exhibits, preserved in several renowned foreign museums and collections and related to Uzbekistan’s history, were presented by Academician Kamola Akilova, Director of the Uzbekistan Gallery of Fine Arts.

 

In order to bring in exhibits from foreign museums, we have established contacts with our partners through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Most of them warmly welcomed our proposals. However, there are other important issues to resolve: transporting the artifacts, preserving them under specific conditions, and organizing their delivery with careful consideration of light and humidity levels. Each item must have state guarantees, meet preservation requirements, and be insured. We must promptly address all these aspects — transport, reception, and storage obligations, said Director Akilova.

 

Ten new book-albums

 

It was also noted at the meeting that during this year’s upcoming international congress organized in cooperation between the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Promotion of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan, as well as during the opening ceremony of the Center, ten new book-albums from the series “Cultural heritage of Uzbekistan in the collections of the world” and seven new gift editions will be published. These ten new volumes will be dedicated to exhibits that will be featured in various sections of the Center’s exhibition.

 

 

One of the key elements of the museum exhibition presented

 

Another important presentation on the agenda of the Enlarged Academic Council was the introduction of one of the key elements being prepared for the museum exhibition of the Center of Islamic Civilization the statues and costume samples of Amir Temur and Bibi Khanum. These samples were created by renowned sculptors based on historical sources and scholarly conclusions.

 

Council members shared their opinions on the statue samples. It was noted, in particular, that Amir Temur’s image appeared somewhat stern, and proposals were made to revise the work. Scholars emphasized that Amir Temur remained in history not only as a great ruler but also as an enlightened figure.

 

At the meeting, Professor Khalida Kamilova, Doctor of Art Studies, presented the sketches of Amir Temur’s and Bibi Khanum’s costumes. The council highly praised the combination of historical accuracy and artistic skill in these sketches. The moving images reflected the external appearance and the spiritual-educational environment of the era in harmony.

 

Amir Temur’s costume was created as a symbol of courage, enlightenment, sovereignty, and military power, embodying the image of the great commander through gold embroidery traditions, state emblems, and luxurious styles. Bibi Khanum’s attire expressed the grace of womanhood, social status, and delicate aesthetic concepts of the inner world.

 

These images, presented by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, were approved by the members of the Academic Council and recognized as an important achievement for the exhibition.

 

The faces of scholars created with artificial intelligence

 

As part of the event, special video clips about Abu Rayhan Beruni and Khudoybergan Devonov were shown. These videos, designed for the museum exhibition of the Center of Islamic Civilization, depicted the scholars’ appearances, activities, and historical periods in a realistic and impactful manner using artificial intelligence. Visual solutions, staging, and sound design immersed viewers in the historical atmosphere.

 

According to the participants, such materials will enhance the exhibition’s impact and inspire the younger generation to take interest in our scientific heritage.

 

It was noted that, as the images were created with AI, some errors were observed, and instructions were given to correct them.

 

In addition, information was shared about the scholars’ platform and the use of AI. Department head Sohibkhon Zokirov explained that the purpose of the platform is to digitize the scientific heritage of Uzbekistan’s great scholars, reinterpret it with the help of artificial intelligence, and make it accessible to the public. According to him, the “Scholars and Artificial Intelligence” platform is not merely a collection of information, but an interactive learning and research environment.

 

The platform compiles the scientific heritage of eminent scholars such as Abu Rayhan Beruni, Ibn Sina, Abu Nasr Farabi, Muhammad Khwarizmi, and Mirzo Ulughbek, presented with modern translations, scholarly commentary, and analysis. Its noteworthy feature is the integration of new-generation technologies: interactive AI-generated images of the scholars displayed on special tablets, allowing users to engage with them.

 

Thanks to this technology, users of any age from schoolchildren and students to researchers and the general public can ask the scholars questions and receive answers about their philosophical, scientific, and spiritual views. This represents not only a rediscovery of our national heritage through a modern technological expression but also an important step in fostering a love for knowledge and respect for historical consciousness in the younger generation.

 

“Munavvar Qori Abdurashidkhonov” media project

 

At the conclusion of the Council meeting, Professor Dilnoza Jamolova, Doctor of History, presented the conceptual project dedicated to Munavvar Qori Abdurashidkhonov. It was noted that this media project aims to convey to the general public the life path, spiritual legacy, and socio-political activities of this enlightened scholar through modern forms of presentation.

 

At the end of the presentation, the media project was approved and officially endorsed by the Academic Council. The project was emphasized as an important step in delivering the enlightenment ideas of great figures such as Munavvar Qori Abdurashidkhonov to the consciousness of the younger generation.

 

Nearly ten important issues were reviewed on the agenda of the Academic Council meeting, with specific tasks and assignments determined for each.

 

Press service of the Center of Islamic Civilization