The Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan has once again become a major international platform for scholarly dialogue. In cooperation with Malaysia, it hosted an international scientific and practical conference titled “Scientific Tradition in Islamic Civilization: Resources, Potential, and Challenges”.

Organized with the participation of Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, the conference was dedicated to further enriching scientific and educational ties between the two countries, as well as jointly researching and promoting the spiritual heritage left by our great ancestors. More than 300 participants attended the event, including representatives of government institutions, leaders of higher education institutions, research centers, prominent scholars, researchers, experts, members of educational and cultural circles, as well as young specialists and students from various countries.

At the opening ceremony of this important scientific and practical conference, Director of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, highlighted the cooperation between the two countries. He noted that since the very beginning of its activities, the Center has been organizing various international conferences, cultural and educational events, meetings, and dialogues in collaboration with a number of institutions and organizations in Malaysia.

In recent years, under the leadership of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, the historical ties between the two friendly nations have entered a new stage.

To date, the Center has organized two major photo exhibitions in Malaysia showcasing the history and contemporary life of Uzbekistan. Representatives of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan have made more than ten official visits to this friendly country. Malaysian partners regularly participate in international conferences held in Uzbekistan.

In February 2025, as part of the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Malaysia, the Center organized an international conference, a series of meetings, exhibitions, roundtable discussions, and presentations in Kuala Lumpur. Memorandums of cooperation were signed with a number of scientific and educational institutions in Malaysia.

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is one of the Center’s permanent partners. Last year, within the framework of the “Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan” project and with a foreword by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a special book-album was published about artifacts related to Uzbekistan preserved in this museum. The international scientific and practical dialogue held today at the Center in cooperation with Malaysia will further strengthen cultural ties between our countries, deepen our understanding of our shared history and culture, and promote closer interaction among different civilizations.

Established on the personal initiative and visionary ideas of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the  Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan is developing into a major scientific and educational institution specializing in the study of Islamic civilization and the cultural heritage of the East, not only in our country but throughout the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah emphasized that the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan plays an important role in the global study of Islamic culture, history, and heritage. She stressed that researching Islamic heritage and determining its place in world civilization is of utmost importance today.

“Uzbekistan is the homeland of great scholars. The legacy of such outstanding figures as Imam al-Bukhari, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, and Imam al-Tirmidhi continues to be studied throughout the Islamic world. We must ensure that their works and scholarly ideas are passed on to future generations and that the universal values promoted in their writings are widely disseminated in our lives. I am confident that cooperation between our two countries in this area will yield significant results,” said the Queen of Malaysia.

Among the speakers at the event were Muzaffar Kamilov, Head of a Department of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Zambry Abd Kadir; Kongratbay Sharipov; and Alparslan Acikgenc, who discussed the prospects for cooperation between Uzbekistan and Malaysia, key issues in researching the heritage of Islamic civilization, and the development of scientific and educational ties.

As part of the conference agenda, scholars from both countries presented their research papers in panel sessions devoted to topics such as “Science and its definitions and traditions,” “Science education in the muslim world,” and “Contemporary challenges and scientific paradigms.” Memorandums of cooperation were also signed between a number of scientific and educational institutions and universities in Malaysia and Uzbekistan.

Within the framework of the conference, guided tours of the Center’s building and its museum exhibitions left a profound impression on the guests. Professor Alparslan Acikgenc of Ibn Haldun University described the inclusion of the Center in the Guinness World Records as an especially remarkable achievement.

“In the hadiths of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it is stated that seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman. I was immensely pleased to read this noble hadith inscribed above the entrance to the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan. It is also a source of great joy that this institution, as the largest museum of Islamic civilization in the world, has been included in the Guinness World Records. The establishment of such a Center in Uzbekistan demonstrates the country’s profound commitment to science, cultural heritage, and Islamic values,” he said.