Abdukhaliqov and Miguel Ángel Moratinos. Photo: press service of the Center for Islamic Civilization.
A delegation from Uzbekistan took part in the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). The event, marking the Alliance’s 20th anniversary, was held in Riyadh in mid-December. During the forum, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Center for Islamic Civilization of Uzbekistan (CIC) and UNAOC, the Center’s press service reported.
The forum was held under the slogan “A New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in Dialogue for Humanity in a Multipolar World.” Participants discussed issues of intercivilizational interaction, media literacy, migration, inclusivity, and countering extremism. The Uzbek delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Center for Islamic Civilization, and other relevant agencies and organizations.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by CIC Director Firdavs Abdukhaliqov and UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC Miguel Ángel Moratinos.
“The forum’s agenda fully resonates with the mission of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and with the fundamental approaches embedded in its concept—promoting enlightened Islam, a culture of knowledge, dialogue, and humanism. These ideas have been repeatedly articulated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev from the high rostrum of the United Nations and today are finding practical embodiment in the work of our Center,” Abdukhaliqov said.
In his remarks, Moratinos emphasized that he closely follows the process of building a “New Uzbekistan” and the reforms underway in the country. He expressed readiness to visit the republic, noting that during his tenure as Spain’s foreign minister he studied the legacy of Ruy González de Clavijo and that he is “symbolically ready to become Clavijo.” According to the UN representative, the historical experience of that diplomatic mission symbolizes long-standing traditions of dialogue and mutual understanding between cultures, which today are gaining renewed momentum.
On the sidelines of the forum, members of the Uzbek delegation also held meetings with the leadership of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Muslim World League, and academic institutions of Saudi Arabia. Discussions focused on the participation of these bodies in the opening ceremony of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, as well as the implementation of joint research, educational, and publishing projects.
Special attention was given to contacts with the King Faisal Library and representatives of the Saudi royal family, including Princess Maha bint Mishari Al Saud. The parties expressed support for CIC initiatives and readiness to develop academic and cultural cooperation, including in the study of the history of the civilizations of Mawarannahr.
During the forum, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Muzaffar Madrahimov also met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The sides discussed advancing dialogue among civilizations and strengthening humanitarian cooperation, as well as the possibility of holding an international presentation of the Center for Islamic Civilization and the Imam al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, and al-Maturidi centers at the UN in 2026.
The Center for Islamic Civilization is being built in Tashkent near the Hast-Imam complex. The building is designed in the style of medieval architectural monuments, with four portals 34 meters high each and a central dome rising 65 meters. It will include 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 day. The CIC is intended to serve as a platform for studying the heritage of ancestors and its contemporary interpretation in cooperation with the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and research and educational centers around the world. The opening of the Center is scheduled for spring 2026.
