A scientific-practical conference on the theme “Inter-confessional dialogue and religious tolerance – guarantee of stability in society” was held at the Tashkent Islamic University on November 16, 2017. It was organized by the Committee of Religious Affairs, Tashkent Islamic University and the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan. Traditionally, the conference is dedicated to the International Day of Tolerance on November 16.
Guests from Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Russia, Tajikistan, representatives of the diplomatic corps and international missions accredited in Tashkent, leaders of religious confessions conducting their activities on the territory of the republic, scientists and specialists of Uzbekistan took part in the international conference.
In a country like Uzbekistan that has chosen the path of democratic development, in which religion has its rightful place in society, guaranteed freedom of religion, the prohibition of planting religious beliefs and beliefs, ensuring equal rights for all, regardless of nationality, race and religion.
2242 religious organizations belong to 16 different denominations. They act in Uzbekistan in peace and equality. The Tashkent Islamic Institute, the Mir Arab Higher School, nine Islamic secondary specialized schools and two Christian seminaries carry out religious education activities.
The press service of the Uzbekistan Muslim Board
Kuwait’s “Al Jarida” newspaper has published a series of articles by journalist Rabih Kallas following his visit to Uzbekistan, focusing on the country’s rich tourism potential, reports Dunyo IA.
Articles, titled “Tashkent – Pearl of Central Asia and a worthy tourist destination for Kuwaitis” and “Samarkand – a city that has crossed the centuries and still amazes the world”, provide detailed and highly appreciative accounts of the hospitality of the Uzbek people, safety and cleanliness, modern infrastructure and the country’s rich heritage of the Great Silk Road.
According to the author, capital of Uzbekistan offers a complete tourist experience, harmoniously combining safety, hospitality, and a rich Islamic heritage. The spacious and green streets of Tashkent, high standards of cleanliness and calm, peaceful atmosphere, the journalist notes, can completely change the usual perceptions of Arab tourists. Particular attention is paid in the article to the unique architecture of the Tashkent Metro, the Quran attributed to Caliph Uthman ibn Affan preserved at the Hazrati Imam Complex, as well as the significance of the Center of Islamic Civilization established in the capital for the cultural development of the region.
The second part of the series focuses on Samarkand, a city with more than 2,700 years of history that occupied a strategically important position at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road. The city’s architectural jewels, whose flourishing reached its peak during the era of Amir Timur and the Timurids - Registan Square, the Shah-i-Zinda Complex, the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, and the Mirzo Ulugh Beg Observatory - are presented as outstanding examples of Eastern civilization.
Kuwaiti journalist particularly emphasizes that Uzbekistan is one of the most attractive and suitable destinations for family tourists from the Gulf countries, particularly Kuwait. Among the country’s advantages, he highlights the widespread availability of halal cuisine, the modern high-speed Afrosiyob trains, as well as its unique national culinary heritage - plov, Samarkand bread and a wide variety of vegetables and fruits - which make travel across the country even richer and more meaningful.