Representatives of Italian museums and collectors support the idea of popularizing the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan and have expressed a positive attitude towards the initiative to hold an international exhibition on the occasion of the opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization.
Over the centuries, samples of Uzbekistan's cultural heritage have spread around the world, becoming jewels of the largest museums and private collections. Today, following the reforms in Uzbekistan, these artifacts are being exhibited for the first time at the Center for Islamic Civilization.
"It is worth noting that the collections of Uzbek artifacts to be exhibited in Tashkent have been published in the 35th volume of the multimedia project 'The Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan in World Collections.' For eight years, with the help of the state and social business sectors, book albums about Uzbek monuments stored abroad have been published. To date, these book albums have reached 80 volumes. The book album on Uzbekistan artifacts stored in Italian libraries, museums, and private collections includes information about the University of Bologna Library, which houses a unique manuscript of Abu Ali ibn Sino translated into Hebrew, the Rome National Museum of Oriental Art named after Giuseppe Tucci, the Turin Museum of Asian Art, the Stibbert Museum, the Mudec Culture Museum in Milan, the Antonio Ratti Foundation and Textile Museum in Como, as well as the private collection of Milanese collectors Alberto and Anna Levi," — says Elmira Gul, the project's scientific coordinator.
The exhibits to be showcased in Tashkent include famous Afrosiab ceramics with epigraphic inscriptions, unique medieval metal items from Khorasan and Transoxiana from private collections, including the legendary cup of the Karakhanid rulers, as well as exquisite examples of Uzbek textile from the early 19th-20th century, astonishing in their delicacy and uniqueness.
The director of the Turin Museum of Asian Art, David Quadrio, expressed his thoughts on participating in the exhibition as follows:
"We support the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to establish the Center for Islamic Civilization and are very pleased to participate in the exhibition organized on the occasion of the center's opening. I am confident that the exhibits from our museum will be a wonderful addition to the exposition."
Among other artifacts to be seen at the exhibition in Tashkent are unique metal samples from the Aron Collection of Islamic art. Veronica Prestini, a representative of the Aron Foundation, said the following about the importance of international cooperation:
"Collaborating with a country as rich and historically deep as Uzbekistan is a great honor for us. Our collection consists of rare items from the Middle Ages in Khorasan and Transoxiana. Among the treasures of the collection is a bowl decorated with the intricate work of the Karakhanid rulers, as well as examples of Samanid period ceramics. I participated in the VII Congress of the World Society for the Preservation, Study, and Popularization of Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage (WOSCU) in Samarkand in November 2023 and had the opportunity to present some photographs of these items currently on display at the Turin Museum of Asian Art. Participating in the congress was a valuable experience for my academic career and scientific work. I witnessed firsthand the great attention President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pays to international cooperation, including in the fields of science and education. We are pleased to bring these treasures to Uzbekistan and present them at the exhibition organized in honor of the opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization. The idea of the exhibition itself impressed me."
The Antonio Ratti Foundation, which possesses a unique collection of Uzbek textiles, also supported this initiative. Its representative Maddalena Terragni made the following comments:
"This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the grandeur, pattern richness, colors, and refinement of Uzbek silk fabric to the world. Organizing the exhibition of these artworks in their historical homeland is a great honor for us."
The exhibition organized at the Center for Islamic Civilization not only reveals the uniqueness of the country's scientific heritage but also opens new horizons for cooperation in the fields of science, art, and museum activities.
"We express our deep gratitude to our colleagues and friends in Italy for deciding to participate in such an important event. Until now, we have been publishing information about Uzbekistan's cultural heritage in the form of official book albums, but now, for the first time, thanks to the initiative of our esteemed President and the support of foreign colleagues, we will be able to see these samples with our own eyes at the exhibition in the Center for Islamic Civilization. I am confident that the Italian part of the exposition will attract the attention of everyone who values our country's cultural heritage," — said Firdavs Abdulkhalikov, director of the Center, and president of the World Society for the Preservation, Study, and Popularization of Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage.
The exhibition at the Center for Islamic Civilization represents a unique cultural space that unites the past and the future. These ancient artifacts, returning to their historical homeland after many years, unite the past and future into a single cultural and artistic space.
