Uzbekistan hosted the first International Islamic Civilisation Forum\nfrom 7 to 11 July 2026, with events held in Tashkent, Samarkand, and\nTermiz. Themed \u2018Islamic Civilisation: The Path of Peace, Tolerance, and\nEnlightenment,\u2019 the forum explored the intellectual and humanistic\nheritage of Islamic civilisation, Uzbekistan\u2019s historical contributions\nto science, and opportunities for broader international cooperation. The\nforum was held under the patronage of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and\nbrought together approximately 300 guests from more than 40\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The Centre for Islamic Civilisation in Uzbekistan coordinated the\nprogramme with the Committee for Religious Affairs, the international\nresearch centres of Imam Maturidi, Imam Bukhari, and Imam Termizi, the\nMuslim Board of Uzbekistan, and the International Islamic Academy of\nUzbekistan. Officially opened in Tashkent on 17 March 2026, the Centre\nis a museum, research, and educational complex created to study,\npreserve, and present the country\u2019s scholarly heritage. The building\nalso houses the Imam Maturidi Centre, which supports research on the\ntextual and intellectual legacy of the Samarkand theologian.<\/p>\n
The main opening event took place at the Centre in Tashkent.\nKhayriddin Sultonov, Presidential Adviser and Speechwriter, read a\nwelcoming address by President Mirziyoyev. Its core message linked the\nstudy of historical truth with science, education, and cultural\ndialogue. Broader discussions also emphasised cooperation against\nextremism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, ignorance, and distorted portrayals\nof Islamic heritage.<\/p>\n
The forum was designed as a multi-city programme, encompassing\nplenary and specialist sessions, publication presentations, heritage and\nmuseum activities, visits to historical sites, and diplomatic meetings.\nIRCICA, the OIC research centre for Islamic history, art, and culture,\nparticipated as an international partner. Its representatives presented\npapers and lectures, while memoranda of understanding were signed or\nrenewed with the Imam Bukhari Research Centre in Samarkand and the Imam\nTermizi Research Centre in Termiz.<\/p>\n
In Samarkand, discussions focused on Imam al-Bukhari\u2019s Al-Jami\nal-Sahih. Imam Bukhari was a ninth-century scholar born in Bukhara,\nwhose meticulous hadith collection became one of the most influential\nworks in hadith studies. Samarkand, long a centre of learning,\nmanuscripts, architecture, and Silk Road exchange, provided a fitting\nbackdrop. The city\u2019s Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research\nCentre studies and publishes his scholarly legacy. Nearby, the\nreconstructed Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex combines his burial site\nwith a mosque, museum, and facilities for scholarly activity and\npilgrimage; the completed reconstruction was reviewed on 19 March\n2026.<\/p>\n
Termiz hosted the conference \u2018The Termez School of Hadith: The Legacy\nof Scholars and Modern Research.\u2019 The programme examined Imam Termizi, a\nprominent ninth-century hadith scholar, and the broader scholarly\ntradition that flourished in the region. Termiz is an ancient city on\nthe banks of the Amu Darya and historically connected Central Asia with\nneighbouring civilisations. The city\u2019s International Scientific Research\nCentre of Imam Termizi studies manuscripts and promotes research on the\nscholar and other figures associated with the Termez school.<\/p>\n
A parallel conference addressed \u2018The Legacy of Imam Maturidi \u2013 The\nFoundation of Moderation and Reason in Islamic Civilisation.\u2019 Abu Mansur\nMaturidi was a Samarkand theologian whose intellectual school became one\nof the major Sunni theological traditions. The sessions presented\nreason, knowledge, moderation, and responsible religious education as\nvital resources for addressing modern social and intellectual\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
One of the forum\u2019s main outcomes was the adoption of the Tashkent\nDeclaration. The declaration outlines ten global initiatives to\npreserve, study, digitise, and promote the intellectual, artistic, and\nscientific heritage of Islamic civilisation. Among the proposals are a\nWorld Alliance of Islamic Civilisation, a global digital heritage\nregistry and library, an international award and research fund, an\nencyclopaedia, a youth forum, and an international union of museums of\nIslamic culture and civilisation.<\/p>\n
The forum also demonstrated Uzbekistan\u2019s broader efforts to bring\nrenewed international attention to the heritage of Mawarannahr, the\nhistorical region between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. Through\nmanuscript preservation and digitisation, monument restoration, museum\ndevelopment, academic research, religious education, interfaith\ndialogue, and cultural diplomacy, the country seeks to present the\nlegacy of Imam Bukhari, Imam Maturidi, and Imam Termizi as part of a\nshared civilisation grounded in knowledge, peace, science, and\nenlightenment. This positions Uzbekistan among a select group of nations\nand institutions working to preserve a heritage that transcends modern\nnational boundaries.<\/p>\n
Overall, the forum created a platform for research, heritage\npreservation, and institutional cooperation. It also demonstrated\nUzbekistan\u2019s intention to strengthen its role as an international hub\nfor studying and showcasing Islamic civilisation in the modern\nworld.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/uzbekistan-hosts-first-international-islamic-civilisation-forum-1783781530", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }