Umirbek Zhubaniyazov. Photo: nuz.uz
Umirbek Zhubaniyazov, chair of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, shared his impressions of Uzbekistan’s Center for Islamic Civilization during the International Congress “Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Shared Spiritual and Educational Heritage — Shared Future.”
“My impressions are wonderful. As a monumental artist, I immediately noticed how many spaces here have been dedicated to artistic design. The work done is titanic. It’s an excellent collaboration between architects and designers. Nowadays, architecture is increasingly reduced to glass and concrete, but the building of the Center for Islamic Civilization is a true masterpiece,” Zhubaniyazov 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.
