News

An article dedicated to publishing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Spain was published in the Spanish publication Otralectura on the occasion of International Book Day. The article notes that during the visit of the Uzbek delegation to Mueller & Schindler, discussions focused on facsimile editions of rare manuscripts, the international “114 Qur’ans” project, and an initiative to publish the Temur Tuzuklari in Spanish. This dialogue was described as an important step in promoting Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage within Europe’s academic and cultural environment.

As part of the official visit program, the delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan — comprising Khayriddin Sultanov, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan and People’s Writer of Uzbekistan; Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Chairman of the Board of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan; Khurshid Fayziyev, Director of the State Museum of the History of the Timurids; and WOSCU Coordinator Ekaterina Soboleva — visited Mueller & Schindler Publishing House.

During the visit, a substantive meeting was held with the company’s President Charlotte Kramer, Vice President Alexander Wilhelm, and other publishing specialists. The fact that the meeting coincided with International Book Day gave the discussions a particularly meaningful professional and cultural significance.

It was emphasized that since 2017, Mueller & Schindler has worked closely with WOSCU on a number of major facsimile projects that have received international recognition.

These include the Divan of Husayn Bayqara, the Zafarnama, the Katta Langar Qur’an, as well as facsimile editions of the Temur Tuzuklari and the Mi’rajnama. These projects are aimed at restoring rare manuscripts preserved in major collections around the world in their original form and introducing them into broad scholarly and cultural circulation.

Charlotte Kramer, President of Mueller & Schindler, stated:

“Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the comprehensive, systematic, and truly historic work being carried out in this field. Such attention to culture at the level of national leadership is a rare phenomenon and serves as an example for the international community. Over more than a decade of cooperation, we have had the opportunity to witness firsthand the depth of the transformations taking place and the genuine commitment of the country’s leadership to the development of the cultural and humanitarian sphere.”

Khayriddin Sultanov, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan, expressed his sincere appreciation to the partners for their consistent and highly professional work, highlighting their important contribution to promoting Uzbek culture internationally. He described the representatives of the publishing house as trusted friends of Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the parties reviewed new facsimile editions, discussed prospects for future joint projects, and exchanged expert views on promoting Uzbekistan’s historical and cultural heritage internationally.

Particular attention was devoted to the large-scale “114 Qur’ans” initiative being implemented in cooperation with the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and WOSCU. This unprecedented international project aims to bring together the finest examples of Qur’anic calligraphy and illuminated manuscript art in a single publication.

The project is being carried out with the participation of an international team of Qur’anic scholars, art historians, and restorers. It envisions the preparation of a high-quality facsimile edition, enriched with scholarly commentary, featuring 114 of the rarest Qur’an manuscripts connected with the history of Uzbekistan and preserved in major collections worldwide.

Special attention was also given to the tourism publishing project entitled “Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand.” The project is designed to broaden global understanding of Uzbekistan through a comprehensive presentation of the country’s regions, unique architectural heritage, historic cities, natural diversity, and contemporary cultural life. Its goal is to create a unified visual and conceptual image of Uzbekistan for an international audience.

In discussing future areas of cooperation, Khayriddin Sultanov proposed preparing and publishing the Temur Tuzuklari in Spanish. This work is one of the most important historical sources reflecting the structure of the Timurid state, its principles of governance, and strategic thought.

It was noted that the publication and broad dissemination of this work would significantly increase interest among Spanish-speaking audiences in the legacy of the Timurid Empire, contribute to deeper academic research on the region’s history, and strengthen cultural and humanitarian ties between Uzbekistan and Spanish-speaking countries.

Mueller & Schindler expressed its full support for the initiative, emphasizing its high scholarly and cultural significance. According to the publishing house’s representatives, the Spanish edition of the Temur Tuzuklari will make an important contribution to international dialogue and offer European readers a valuable opportunity to become more familiar with the foundations of statehood and legal thought during the Timurid era.

This visit marked an important milestone in the development of international publishing and cultural cooperation and once again confirmed the growing interest of the global community in Uzbekistan’s rich historical and cultural heritage.