President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA): “Uzbekistan is a treasure of knowledge yet to be discovered by the world”

Within the framework of the “FIA General Assemblies Week,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, accompanied by officials from the National Olympic Committee, visited the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and explored its rich historical and cultural heritage in detail. The guests first toured the sections dedicated to the Pre-Islamic period, the First Renaissance, the Second Renaissance, and “New Uzbekistan — the Foundation of the New Renaissance,” as well as the Qur’an Hall, carefully observing the meaning of each section, its rare artifacts, and the technology-enhanced exhibitions.

The visitors highly appreciated the preservation of authentic Pre-Islamic artifacts, the presence of numerous unique historical sources in the Center’s collection, and the scholarly methods used to present them. They were also impressed by the well-developed conceptual structure of each section and the logical, sequential arrangement of the exhibits.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed his impressions as follows:

“I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan and the President personally for giving us the opportunity to witness this Center with our own eyes. I saw so much here that I did not know before. In my opinion, this is Uzbekistan’s hidden treasure.

 

Many people around the world are still not sufficiently aware of the scientific heritage this country has given to humanity.

 

Seeing the original Qur’anic manuscripts and learning about the President’s personal initiative to bring back lost or displaced manuscripts from other countries deeply moved me.

 

This institution deserves to be promoted more widely on the global stage. No one can deny the names of great figures such as Khwarizmi, Imam Bukhari, and Ibn Sina. Presenting their scientific legacy globally is also our responsibility.

 

Uzbekistan’s gradual development from the pre-Islamic era to the present day, and its immense contribution to Islamic civilization — all of this amazed me. Most importantly, this place brings a person back to the real truth: that one must learn from history and move forward with confidence.”

The guest noted that although great scholars such as Beruni, Khwarizmi, Farabi, Termizi, Bukhari, and Ibn Sina laid the foundations of global scientific progress, many countries today still lack sufficient knowledge about them. Therefore, he described the Center’s work as an extremely important initiative for promoting historical heritage on a global scale.

He was also particularly impressed by the AI-based interactive content in the Children’s Area. According to him, visual, video, and AI-enhanced presentations have a strong impact on the younger generation and help them understand history more easily.

The visit concluded in the Qur’an Hall. The guest closely examined the original 7th-century Mushaf of Uthman and was astonished that one of the only five surviving copies in the world is preserved in Uzbekistan.

At the end, he expressed deep gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, praising the initiative to establish the Islamic Civilization Center as “a truly monumental and invaluable endeavor.”