The Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, being established on the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, continues to enhance its reputation on the international stage. As part of a working trip to the People's Republic of China by a delegation led by the Center's Director Firdavs Abdukhalikov, major events were organized at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. These visit and presentation ceremonies were held at a high level with the direct assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the PRC and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Farhod Arziev.
As one of the significant events of the visit, a memorandum of cooperation was signed on July 20 between the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The document was signed by the Director of the Center Firdavs Abdukhalikov and the Director of the Museum, Dr. Louis Ng. This agreement provides for the organization of joint exhibitions, conducting scientific research, preservation and restoration of cultural heritage, as well as the use of digital museum technologies and the expansion of specialist exchanges.
In his speech, Center Director Firdavs Abdukhalikov emphasized that the memorandum signed with the Hong Kong Palace Museum creates a solid legal foundation for long-term partnership between the two institutions and serves to more widely showcase the rich civilizational heritage of Central Asia on the global stage. In turn, Dr. Louis Ng, who had visited Uzbekistan shortly before, noted that he was deeply impressed by the work carried out in our country to preserve cultural heritage and present it using modern methods, expressing confidence that cooperation will rise to a new level.
Following the signing ceremony, a presentation of the Center and a briefing were held with the participation of Hong Kong official circles, representatives of culture, science, and the public. The event was attended by Dr. George Ma, Head of Department at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Nicholas Ho, Hong Kong Commissioner for Belt and Road, and Ambassador Farhod Arziev, who specifically noted that relations between Uzbekistan and China are developing consistently on the basis of strategic partnership.
As part of the conference, a short documentary film dedicated to the Center and Uzbek-Chinese cultural ties was screened. Afterward, Firdavs Abdukhalikov delivered a lecture on the topic "A Window to Uzbekistan's Heritage: The Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan," providing detailed information about the Center's concept, the heritage of great scholars, and modern museum technologies. Additionally, Farhod Maksudov, Director of the National Center of Archaeology, spoke about joint archaeological research being conducted along the Great Silk Road, while Rustam Jabborov, Scientific Secretary of the Center, delivered a lecture titled "The Theme of China in the Works of Alisher Navoi," analyzing the ideas of cultural proximity and universal human values in the works of Alisher Navoi.
At the end of the event, the parties exchanged certificates of cooperation and expressed their readiness to further expand the publication of book-albums and the exchange of professional experience in the future. The delegation of Uzbekistan presented the collection of rare book-albums from the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections" as a gift to the fund of the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The delegation's working trip across the People's Republic of China continues.
