Uzbekistan Delegation Participates in UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — From 14 to 16 December 2025, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hosted the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Alliance.

Held under the theme “A New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in Dialogue for Humanity in a Multipolar World,” the forum served as a prominent international platform for discussing issues related to inter-civilizational and intercultural dialogue, media literacy, migration, preventing extremism, and promoting inclusivity.

The delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan participated in the forum, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Center of Islamic Civilization, and relevant governmental agencies and organizations. The delegation’s participation focused on advancing Uzbekistan’s initiatives in the field of civilizational dialogue, presenting the Center of Islamic Civilization on the international stage, and expanding partnerships with key international organizations.

A central event of the forum was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. The document, signed by the Center’s Director Firdavs Abdukhalikov and UNAOC High Representative and UN Deputy Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos, aims to develop long-term partnerships in inter-civilizational and intercultural dialogue, implement research and educational initiatives, carry out joint cultural and media projects, and promote the values of tolerance and humanism.

During the forum, meetings were held with UNAOC High Representative Miguel Ángel Moratinos to discuss the international positioning of the Center and its presentation on global humanitarian platforms. Mr. Moratinos highlighted the extensive reforms underway in Uzbekistan and symbolically expressed readiness to become the “New Clavijo,” continuing the traditions of intercultural dialogue established by the historical mission of Ruy González de Clavijo.

Significant attention was given to meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who praised President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s role in promoting dialogue and humanitarian cooperation internationally, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming opening of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and its presentation at the UN alongside the international centers of Imams Bukhari, Termizi, and Matrudi.

The Center’s delegation also held negotiations with the leadership of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the World Muslim League, and academic and cultural institutions in Saudi Arabia. Agreements were reached on international partners’ participation in the Center’s opening ceremony, implementation of joint scientific, educational, and publishing projects, and institutional presence of partners within the Center.

Special attention was given to collaboration with the King Faisal Library and members of the Saudi royal family, including Princess Maha bint Mishari Al-Saud. These meetings confirmed readiness for scientific and educational cooperation, including establishing a department of Transoxiana Civilization History and a “corner” of the Center within the library, as well as exchanging scholarly literature and materials.

An important part of the program included negotiations with Sheikh-ul-Islam of the Caucasus, Mufti of the Republic of Azerbaijan Allahshukur Pashazade, discussing joint projects in science, culture, and spiritual heritage. The Mufti highly appreciated President Mirziyoyev’s role in developing intercultural and interfaith dialogue and preparing a special publication on the New Uzbekistan.

The Director of the House of Islamic Arts in Jeddah, Mamduh Osman, signed a cooperation memorandum with the Center of Islamic Civilization aimed at developing museum activities, preserving and promoting Islamic cultural heritage, and organizing joint exhibitions and educational projects.

During the forum, an agreement was reached to hold an international ISESCO conference in Uzbekistan in 2026, involving leading theologians, scholars, and experts from the Islamic world, as well as to organize a series of annual international scientific conferences dedicated to prominent Muslim scholars of Transoxiana.

The 11th Global UNAOC Forum reaffirmed the strategic significance of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan as an international humanitarian, educational, and scientific-cultural platform that strengthens inter-civilizational cooperation and promotes the values of tolerance, mutual respect, and humanism on a global scale.