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A delegation led by Serdar Çam, President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Turkey, and Coordinator for Public Diplomacy and Cultural Heritage Affairs, visited the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.

During the visit, the guests toured the Center’s museum and exhibition halls, learned about its academic and educational activities, international cooperation projects, and unique exhibits reflecting the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Uzbek people. The Center was established at the initiative of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Uzbekistan.

The delegation was provided with a detailed overview of the Center’s establishment, architectural concept, and overall mission. The guests visited the “Gallery of Great Figures,” the “Pre-Islamic Period Civilizations,” the exhibitions dedicated to the First and Second Renaissances, the Timurid era, and the “New Uzbekistan – The Foundation of the New Renaissance” exposition.

While touring the Qur’an Hall, the visitors expressed deep emotion and admiration upon seeing the Samarkand Kufic Quran.

At the conclusion of the visit, a meeting was held between Firdavs Abdukhalikov and Serdar Çam.

Speaking about the Center’s activities, Firdavs Abdukhalikov noted that a number of joint projects are currently being implemented with various museums, academic institutions, and cultural organizations in Turkey.

“Our peoples are united by many common ties in history, culture, and spirituality. It is no coincidence that the Turkish people refer to Central Asia as the ‘Fatherland.’ Therefore, we are interested in further expanding cooperation with Turkey’s museums, research centers, and prestigious organizations such as TİKA. The second floor of this Center, built at the initiative of our esteemed President, houses a major international platform, a rich library, and several conference halls. This creates excellent opportunities for regularly hosting international forums, academic conferences, and cultural events. We believe that your visit will elevate our cooperation to a new level,” he said.

He also emphasized that in recent years a number of practical academic projects have been carried out with Turkish scholars, researchers, and museum specialists, and that there are plans to expand joint exhibitions and projects related to manuscripts and cultural heritage in the future.

Serdar Çam, in turn, said that he was deeply impressed by the visit and described the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan as a source of pride for the entire Turkic and Islamic world.

“We are truly delighted to be here. First of all, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan, the leadership of the Center, and the entire people of Uzbekistan. As a Muslim and as a Turk, it is a great honor for me to visit this remarkable place. The heritage of our ancestors and their contributions to science, culture, and the advancement of civilization are presented here at the highest level. This Center is a source of pride not only for Uzbekistan, but for the entire Turkic and Islamic world.

It is not easy today to encourage young people to read books or to explain history through conventional methods. However, this Center has created modern presentations that correspond to the worldview of the younger generation through the use of digital technologies, visual solutions, and artificial intelligence. This is the result of tremendous effort and profound vision. The discoveries of our ancestors and their contributions to civilization are being presented to the world in a highly innovative and contemporary way. This is truly worthy of admiration,” said Serdar Çam.

At the end of the meeting, Firdavs Abdukhalikov presented the guest with a facsimile edition of the Katta Langar Quran on behalf of the Center, noting that it is one of the projects prepared within the framework of the initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan aimed at studying, preserving, and promoting cultural heritage.

In turn, Serdar Çam presented the Center with a collection of poems by Mehmet Akif Ersoy, whose family originated from Bukhara. The guest also left his remarks in the Center’s Book of Honored Visitors.