Kerim Tahirov. Photo: nuz.uz
Kerim Tahirov, director of the Mirza Fatali Akhundov National Library of Azerbaijan, said on the sidelines of the International Congress “Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Shared Spiritual and Educational Heritage — Shared Future” that enriching the collection of the Center for Islamic Civilization’s library is a shared responsibility.
“We now have the opportunity to show the world that Islam is a sacred and humane religion, one that has always placed human life, human welfare, and human well-being at the center. And the Center for Islamic Civilization is further proof of this. In fact, it can be called a Center for World Civilization, since Islam is present across the globe. I am particularly impressed by the innovative library here, where publications from all the countries of the region, from Azerbaijan, and from elsewhere, are represented. We are obliged to further enrich this remarkable collection,” Tahirov said.
The International Congress “Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Shared Spiritual and Educational Heritage – Shared Future” is being held from November 13 to 15 at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. The Center for Islamic Civilization organized the event in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, the International Institute of Central Asia, and the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Promotion of Uzbekistan’s Cultural Heritage (WOSCU).
The Center for Islamic Civilization (CIC) was built in Tashkent next to the Hast-Imam complex. Designed in the style of medieval architectural monuments, the building features four portals, each 34 meters high, and a central dome rising to 65 meters. It houses a Quran Hall, a 460-seat conference hall, and a museum whose exhibitions cover the entire history of Uzbekistan—from pre-Islamic times to the present. The CIC is intended to serve as a platform for studying the heritage of the past and for its contemporary interpretation, in cooperation with the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and scholarly and educational institutions around the world.
