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Kathleen Göbel, Director for Cultural Cooperation in Berlin, Germany:

We have been cooperating with Uzbekistan in the fields of culture and religious studies for more than ten years. Therefore, the work being carried out here is not new to me. However, I am deeply impressed by what Uzbekistan has accomplished in recent years.

Today at the forum, the head of a journalists’ non-governmental organization described Uzbekistan as a “beacon” — a country that shines a light and shows the way. I believe this is a very accurate description.

As someone from Germany, I can say that the political situation in Europe today is very complex and unstable. I believe Uzbekistan can serve as a good example for us. Here, the country’s leadership is not focusing solely on economic issues. Of course, Uzbekistan is developing very rapidly in the economy, tourism, and many other areas.

However, I believe there is an even more distinctive and uncommon goal behind these developments: paying attention to the people’s spiritual well-being, inner state, and inner world. This demonstrates the special importance that the President places on spirituality in the work being carried out.

Such an approach is very rare. That is why it is so important that media events like today’s are being held in Uzbekistan. They can serve as an example for other countries as well. Uzbekistan’s experience can be particularly valuable for countries seeking to prevent wars, preserve peace, and help people return to safe and peaceful lives.

I believe the Islamic Civilization Center built in Tashkent is a unique symbol of this approach. With its impressive scale and distinctive beauty, the Center has become a truly prestigious institution. Even German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during his visit here, “I was deeply impressed.” That in itself is highly significant.

I was deeply impressed by the atmosphere created here, as well as by its beauty and grandeur. Of course, this place embodies not only beauty, but also a vast wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual meaning.

I am very pleased to have been invited to Uzbekistan once again and given the opportunity to speak about my recently published book, “The 99 names of Allah.”

I also gave a presentation about my book here in July. That event was attended by many distinguished and respected guests from around the world. They responded very positively to the ideas presented in the book and to my presentation. This time, I am delighted to have been invited to present the book to representatives of the media.

I believe this book can be regarded as a small step toward preserving authentic Islamic sources, such as the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the traditions of great philosophers and scholars. Perhaps it could be compared to a single drop.

Such authentic sources are extremely valuable in their content and essence. They cannot be altered. However, presenting them to modern audiences requires new forms and new approaches.

I understand it this way: everything in the world has both content and a form through which that content is expressed. The content must remain untouched, but the form needs to be renewed in accordance with the demands of the times.

That is why I used a very modern approach in this book. There is no need to read long passages of text. Each topic is presented in short, concise sections. The book is also engaging to read, and its pages can be easily browsed.

At the same time, the source of every piece of information is provided. If readers become interested in a particular topic, they can consult the original source and explore it independently in greater depth. In other words, the book can also be used as a tool for self-directed learning.