News

The first meeting of the Scientific Council of 2026 was held at the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan. The meeting was attended by members of the Council, including Shavkat Ayupov, President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan; Shovosil Ziyodov, Director of the Imam Bukhari Innovative Museum; Davronbek Maksudov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs; Hamidjon Ishmatbekov, First Deputy Chairman of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan; Jannat Ismailova, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Professor; Ahmed Reymov, Head of the Karakalpakstan Branch of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan; as well as the leadership and staff of the Center.

The agenda of the meeting included nearly twenty topical issues of strategic importance related to the activities of the Center. The Scientific Council was opened with an introductory address by the Director of the Center, Firdavs Abdukhalikov.

In his speech, he focused in particular on key stages of the Center’s development, the results achieved to date, and the priority tasks ahead. Special attention was given to the major presentation held on 29 January 2025, which encompassed more than 800 projects and was noted as a significant milestone in the history of the Center. This large-scale presentation took place with the participation of the President, who thoroughly reviewed all the projects and issued relevant instructions.

As a result, the implementation of the “Civilizations, Personalities, and Discoveries” concept within the Center’s exhibition was officially approved. It was also emphasized that at the meeting of the Board of Trustees, held in this building on 14 March 2025 under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, these projects were fully endorsed, and concrete decisions were adopted regarding their financing and organizational support.

It was reported that over the past year, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan visited the Center on five occasions, which clearly demonstrates the Head of State’s high level of attention to and confidence in this project.

Within the framework of implementing the instructions issued, the Center welcomed its first distinguished guests in October–November 2025. This event, attended by the heads of state of Central Asian countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of the fields of science, culture, and cinema and leaders of major academic institutions, served as an important test for the Center and received a high evaluation.

In addition, within the framework of a forum held with the participation of more than 130 international experts from 25 countries, museum directors and representatives of scholarly institutions highly praised the Center’s exhibitions and conceptual solutions.

Another symbolic event was given special recognition at the meeting. The donation of a rare edition of the Constitution of the United States to the Center by a distinguished international guest, Paolo Zampolli, was assessed as a symbol of profound respect for and confidence in the Center.

At the Scientific Council meeting, primary attention was devoted to preparations for the ceremonial opening of the Center. In particular, proposals were discussed, approved, and endorsed regarding the training of guides; the organization of high-level reception for guests; the creation of capacity to accommodate up to 500 visitors per hour; entry and exit control procedures; regulations governing access to and use of the library; and the establishment of accessible and inclusive conditions for persons with disabilities.

Furthermore, a report was presented on the work carried out in 2025 by the company Art Vernissage, including the process of QR-coding exhibition labels, the formation of the museum and library collections, and the preparation of descriptive texts for exhibits. It was decided that these activities would be continued in the current year.

At the meeting, a book–album project dedicated to Imam Bukhari was presented. In addition, a proposal was put forward to promote the Imam Bukhari Complex more widely through the production of a dedicated video presentation.

Furthermore, within the framework of the film series “Whispers of Wisdom”, filmed with the participation of Ben Kingsley, video materials devoted to Ahmad al-Farghani, Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, and Ibn Sina (Avicenna) were screened and received positive evaluations from the members of the Council.

The procedure for entering the Holy Qur’an Hall, the introduction of a dress code, the provision of information about the hall through touch panels, the inclusion in the mapping installation of verses 1–2 of Surah Iqra’ and Surah Ikhlas, as well as the presentation of the Gregorian–Hijri calendar, were approved.

In addition, a presentation was delivered on the exhibition of the “Uzbekistan in the 20th Century” section and on the design of the tunnels connecting the exhibition halls. A number of recommendations were put forward to further enhance and refine this section.

At the conclusion of the meeting, issues related to media cooperation, the production of audio guides and video content, the continuation of the media group’s activities in 2026 and the improvement of its material and technical base, as well as cooperation with foreign mass media outlets, were discussed.

As a result of the Scientific Council meeting, relevant decisions were adopted on all matters considered, and responsible executors were designated for their implementation.