News

The International Media Forum in Tashkent and Samarkand will become a global platform for dialogue on heritage, science, and technology.

From August 24 to 28, 2026, Tashkent and Samarkand will host the International Media Forum titled “Islamic Civilization: A New Perspective — New Discoveries.” The international forum will bring together 300 participants from nearly 50 countries, including executives of leading media companies, representatives of news agencies, television channels, international publications and digital platforms, as well as documentary filmmakers, producers, scholars, and experts in the creative industries and artificial intelligence.

The forum is being organized by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Center for Media Content Production under the Presidential Administration, the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan, and a number of other partner organizations. International television networks Euronews and CNN are expected to participate as the Forum’s principal media partners.

It is no coincidence that the Forum is being held on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the state independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Its primary goal is to showcase to the world the achievements our country has made during the years of independence, particularly the results of the irreversible reforms implemented in New Uzbekistan over the past 10 years under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as the country’s efforts to preserve its historical heritage, including the new scientific, cultural, educational, and technological initiatives of the Islamic Civilization Center.

The main venue of the Forum will be the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan. Established at the initiative of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, this major complex brings together unique museum collections, ancient manuscripts, scholarly research, and next-generation technologies, providing an opportunity to study the heritage of the Islamic world and present it to an international audience. The Forum’s central concept is to promote history and spiritual heritage to global audiences through the language of modern television, cinema, literature, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and immersive museum technologies.

Representatives of the world’s leading media among the speakers

The participation of Claus Strunz, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Euronews; Imran Ahmad, Regional Director of CNN International; and Sergey Stanovkin, BBC representative and Director of Dars Consulting, among the Forum’s speakers and distinguished guests further underscores the significance of the event.

The program will also feature presentations of projects by Al Jazeera, TRT World, and TRT Avaz, as well as a video address by Phil Nelson, Executive Vice President of CNN International Commercial.

The Forum will feature five plenary sessions, covering the following topics:

“The Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan: new stories, new formats, new audiences”;

“Great figures of Islamic civilization who changed the world: remarkable biographies in film, books, and the digital space”;

“The Holy Qur’an: a heritage uniting centuries and civilizations”;

“New Uzbekistan: initiatives, reforms, and a documentary chronicle of the modern era”;

“New horizons: international projects, media formats, and cultural initiatives.”

The contribution of Islamic civilization to the development of global science and culture — including mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, literature, architecture, and art — will be at the heart of the discussions.

The Forum will feature more than 50 speeches and presentations.

Participants will discuss how the legacy of great thinkers and scholars such as Muhammad Khwarizmi, Abu Ali ibn Sina, Abu Rayhan Biruni, Abu Mansur Maturidi, Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmidhi, Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, and others can be presented through modern media and technologies.

A separate plenary session will be devoted to the reforms of New Uzbekistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s international initiatives, and their representation in documentary, publishing, and media projects. Participants will exchange views on the role of journalism, cinematography, and cultural initiatives in shaping the international image of modern Uzbekistan.

The Forum will also feature presentations of projects related to the Uthman Mushaf, the facsimile edition of the Katta Langar Qur’an, the international “114 Qur’ans” project, the scholarly illustrated publication “Qur’ans of Uzbekistan,” the book-album “Great figures in the history of Uzbekistan in Eastern miniatures,” and “How can history be made engaging for young people? The advantages of visualizing Islamic civilization for future generations.”

As part of the technology segment, INKSIGHT AI, an intelligent model designed to recognize Arabic-script manuscript texts and make them digitally readable, will be presented. The project will demonstrate how artificial intelligence can be used to digitize ancient written sources.

The Forum will showcase dozens of international and national projects, including documentaries, television programs, books and albums, virtual exhibitions, digital platforms, interactive educational products, multimedia exhibitions, as well as solutions based on VR, AR, and artificial intelligence technologies. Among them are the international 1001 Inventions project, digital avatars of historical figures, and documentary and television projects by international media companies.

A large-scale multimedia mapping show will be projected onto the façade of the Islamic Civilization Center, bringing together architecture, music, light, animation, and digital art into a single historical narrative.

A special multimedia program dedicated to Uzbekistan’s spiritual and educational traditions will also be presented in the Qur’an Hall.

In addition, the Forum will host the premiere of an original film by Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley dedicated to the history of Uzbekistan, its great figures, and the region’s contribution to the development of world civilization.

During the Forum, representatives of the global media will also meet with young people in Uzbekistan interested in the field. In particular, special sessions, lectures, presentations, and master classes will be held at 15 higher education institutions in Tashkent. International journalists, media managers, documentary filmmakers, directors, and digital technology experts will address students, master’s students, young researchers, and faculty members.

The educational program will cover international journalism, television, documentary filmmaking, strategic communications, international PR, cultural diplomacy, and digital content production. Particular attention will be given to the use of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality technologies in media, education, and museum activities.

Young journalists, diplomats, IT specialists, producers, and representatives of the creative industries will have the opportunity to participate in practical workshops, expert discussions, and professional meetings with international specialists.

A Memorandum of Cooperation will be signed between the Islamic Civilization Center and the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan. The document provides for the implementation of a joint academic and educational program for young journalists. It will bring together educational activities, research, master classes, and media projects dedicated to the history, culture, and scholarly heritage of Uzbekistan.

The cooperation will provide students with opportunities to participate in the production of television, documentary, publishing, and digital projects, work with museum collections and historical sources, and learn from the experience of leading representatives of the national and international media community. In today’s world, it is increasingly important for journalists to have a thorough knowledge of the history of their homeland. Therefore, the Islamic Civilization Center and the University plan to jointly introduce a course on “Guide Journalism.” It is important that this course be incorporated into the core curriculum rather than offered as an extracurricular subject.

Samarkand — a living space of history

A full day of the international program will take place in Samarkand. International journalists and film crews will visit the Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex, reconstructed at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The extensive construction work at the complex was completed in the spring of 2026. Covering an area of 45 hectares, the complex includes a mosque with a capacity of 10,000 worshippers, administrative and pilgrimage facilities, as well as the Imam Bukhari Innovation Museum, comprising nine thematic pavilions equipped with modern digital technologies.

The program will also include a visit to the International Scientific Research Center of Hadith Studies. Participants will explore Samarkand’s historical and cultural sites, including monuments inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.