Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Israel’s Embassy in Uzbekistan and Samarkand State University have signed an agreement providing a research grant to the university’s Department of History to study the history and cultural heritage of Samarkand’s Jewish community, the Embassy of the State of Israel in Uzbekistan said.
The signing ceremony was attended by Israel’s ambassador and embassy representatives, as well as the leadership and faculty of Samarkand State University.
The grant will enable the university’s historians and researchers to conduct a comprehensive study of the historical development and cultural heritage of the Jewish community, its contribution to Samarkand’s social, economic and cultural life, and its ties with Israel.
The embassy said the initiative is aimed at supporting historical research, preserving cultural heritage and strengthening academic cooperation between Israel and Uzbekistan.
The research is expected to help provide a more comprehensive study and documentation of the history of Samarkand’s Jewish community and make its heritage more accessible to scholars, students and the wider public.
Speaking at the ceremony, Israel’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Gideon Lustig stressed the importance of preserving the history and cultural heritage of Jewish communities in Uzbekistan and expressed appreciation to Uzbek scholars for their work.
Rustam Khamrulov, rector of Samarkand State University, welcomed the initiative and stressed the importance of further developing academic cooperation and conducting research based on historical sources and archival materials.
The embassy said the signing of the agreement marked another step in developing educational and cultural ties between Israel and Uzbekistan.
