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Day two of the First International Forum

The First International Islamic Forum: Islamic Civilization: The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment has officially commenced in Tashkent.

The Address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to the participants of the First International Islamic Forum was delivered by the Presidential Adviser, Khayriddin Sultanov.

As emphasized in the President’s Address to the forum participants: “The unique scientific and cultural achievements attained during the great periods of advancement in our nation's history, known as the First and Second Renaissances, continue to inspire humanity toward new horizons. Today, New Uzbekistan is confidently moving forward, in cooperation with the international community, on the path toward laying the foundations of the Third Renaissance.”

The fact that this international gathering, attended by renowned scholars, representatives of prestigious international organizations, public officials, cultural figures, and representatives of various religious denominations from more than forty countries, is being held at the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan carries profound historical and symbolic significance. This major international event demonstrates the growing interest of the global community in Islamic civilization and its rich spiritual, scientific, and cultural heritage.

It is worth recalling that on the first day of the First International Islamic Forum: Islamic Civilization: The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment, distinguished speakers including Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO; Mohammad Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League; Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan; Ravil Gainutdin, Grand Mufti of Russia; Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States; Sultan Raev, Secretary General of TURKSOY; Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Director General of IRCICA; Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board; and many other distinguished guests highlighted that the forum has become an important platform for introducing Uzbekistan's rich historical and scholarly heritage to the international academic community, presenting the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan as a global scientific and educational platform, and widely promoting the achievements of the country's ongoing reforms in the religious and educational sphere.

The second day of the First International Islamic Forum demonstrated that the forum is dedicated to revealing the true essence of Islamic civilization, highlighting its immense contribution to science, culture, and spiritual development, while also promoting the ideals of peace, tolerance, and enlightenment in the contemporary world.

The second day’s program also featured a number of important media events and presentations. Among them was the presentation “The Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan: A Global Platform for Heritage, Knowledge, and Enlightenment,” delivered by Rustam Jabborov, Scientific Secretary of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.

The presentation emphasized that the Forum serves as an important international platform for studying the rich intellectual and spiritual heritage of the Islamic world, presenting it to the global community, and further strengthening dialogue and cooperation among civilizations.

One of the key events of the day was the presentation of the book album “Shavkat Mirziyoyev – An Enlightened Leader,” published in cooperation with IRCICA. The presentation highlighted that the initiatives put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly have ushered in a new stage in the study and global promotion of the rich scientific and spiritual heritage of Islamic civilization. Particular emphasis was placed on initiatives aimed at showcasing the invaluable contribution of the scholars of the Central Asian Renaissance to world civilization, preserving and studying the scholarly legacy of great hadith scholars such as Imam al-Bukhari, and promoting the principles of enlightenment and religious tolerance at the international level, all of which are now being implemented consistently.

The event also featured presentations of several publishing projects jointly implemented by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan (WOSCU).

Among the publications presented were “Rare Qur’an Manuscripts Preserved in Uzbekistan,” “114 Rare Qur’an Manuscripts of the World,” and “The Katta Langar Qur'an: History and Truth,” representing important outcomes of this large-scale scientific and educational initiative.

The significance of these publications lies in their approach to studying Qur'an manuscripts not only as sacred relics, but also as invaluable sources for the study of history, calligraphy, the art of manuscript production, paper studies, parchment studies, cultural exchange, and the civilizational memory of humanity.

The first publication, “Rare Qur’an Manuscripts Preserved in Uzbekistan,” is the first comprehensive scholarly work to systematically document the Qur'an manuscripts preserved in Uzbekistan's collections.

The book brings together information on manuscripts housed in museums, libraries, research institutions, and religious organizations across the country. Each manuscript is accompanied by details on its history, period of production, calligraphic style, paper or parchment characteristics, decorative features, place of preservation, and scholarly description.

The second publication, “114 Rare Qur’an Manuscripts of the World,” expands beyond Uzbekistan to present the history of Qur’an manuscripts on a global scale. It features information on rare Qur’an manuscripts preserved in some of the world's most renowned museums, libraries, and research institutions.

Among them are the Uthmanic Mushafs, the Sana’a Manuscript, the Paris Codex, the Birmingham Qur’an Fragments, the Topkapi Mushaf, the Blue Qur’an, the Qur’an of Ibn Bawwab, as well as the Katta Langar Qur’an, which is closely associated with the history of Uzbekistan. Together, these represent some of the most significant masterpieces of the Islamic manuscript tradition.

The third publication, “The Katta Langar Qur’an: History and Truth,” holds particular significance. It is not merely a book about a single manuscript, but a comprehensive scholarly study dedicated to reconstructing the history of this rare Mushaf, tracing its lost and rediscovered folios, examining academic debates, radiocarbon analyses, places of preservation, and the historical evidence surrounding it.

One of the book’s most important achievements is that, for the first time, it brings together all currently known folios of the manuscript in a unified scholarly sequence. It identifies where each folio is preserved, specifies the surahs and verses contained on each page, analyzes the calligraphic style, material consistency, textual corrections, and preservation history, all based on rigorous academic research.

The second day of the Forum also featured the presentation of the book album “New Uzbekistan: The Land of Peace, Humanism and Tolerance” by Iraqi publicist and writer Ahmad Jasim Al-Zubaidi; the presentation of the book album “Shavkat Mirziyoyev – A Statesman and Political Leader of Global Standing” by international journalist Valery Biryukov; and the presentation of “Uzbekistan: The Third Renaissance – A Concept of Development” by Pakistani journalist Muhammad Abbas Khan. These presentations left a profound impression on the participants.

• Presentation of the book album “The Highest Expression of Brotherhood and Alliance.”
• Presentation of the book album “Sahih Bukhari – The Book of the Ummah.”
• Presentation of the book album “Eternal Friendship, Scholarly Cooperation, and an Enlightened Future: The Journey of IRCICA and Uzbekistan.”
• Announcement of the new edition of the “Scientific Atlas of Islamic Civilization.”
• Presentation of the book “Abu Isa Tirmidhi: The Virtues of the Prophet.”
• Announcement and presentation of the facsimile publication project of the “Marseille Collection” preserved in the collection of the National Library of Russia.
• Presentation of the publication “The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah.”
• Presentation of “INKSIGHT AI – An Intelligent Model for Recognizing and Reading Arabic Manuscript Texts.”
• Presentation of the digital project “Digital Portraits of Historical Figures.”
• Presentation of the inclusive project “The Museum of Equal Opportunities: Sign Language in the Digital Space.”
• Presentation of the virtual project “Museum Without Borders: A Journey into the World of Historical and Cultural Heritage.”
• Presentation of the new travelling children’s exhibition project “1001 Inventions from Uzbekistan to the World.”
• Presentation of the Modern Analytical Laboratory of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.
• Announcement and presentation of the facsimile publication project of the “Marseille Collection.”
• Presentation of “The Return of Heritage: The Repatriation Program for Cultural Property with the Support of the OSCE.”

These events further reinforced the Forum’s significance as an international platform for cultural dialogue, scholarly cooperation, and the promotion of humanity's shared cultural heritage.

At the conclusion of the second day of the Forum, a series of memoranda of cooperation and agreements were signed between international organizations, research centers, and cultural institutions to further expand international collaboration in the study and promotion of the heritage of Islamic civilization, strengthen cooperation among academic institutions, and advance the preservation and digitization of manuscripts.

In addition, several important documents were adopted, including the Tashkent Declaration of the First International Islamic Forum and the Roadmap for the Development of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan for 2027–2030.

One of the Forum's most significant events was the adoption of the participants' Address to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In short, the First International Islamic Forum is becoming an important international platform for introducing Uzbekistan’s rich historical and scholarly heritage to the global community, strengthening dialogue among civilizations, and promoting the noble values of Islam based on peace, tolerance, and enlightenment.