8:47
There are so many aspects that we can learn from this heritage and from this civilization especially in today's volatile world. Interactions between civilizations have always taken place. It's not something new. We need to draw on it, leverage this interactions to pass it on to the next generation and build a culture of peace. For centuries, Usbekiststan has been a crossroads of ideas, scholarship, and discovery. That rich history and its legacy were at the heart of a recent gathering at UNESCO in Paris. Initiatives like today's forum can reinforce the intercultural dialogue. I'm talking about the shared cultural legacies. Knowing this
cultural legacy, knowing this history can help us build trust between the people of different cultures, making a better future for all of us. Civilizations are not growing in isolation. We cross fertilize each other. And it is a message that we need to share to see that we have much more in common than elements that separate us. A central feature of the meeting at UNESCO was Usuzbekiststan's new center of Islamic civilization. Initiated by the country's president in 2017, the flagship project in Tash Kent brings together the nation's rich cultural and intellectual heritage.
is one of the key let's say countries along the historic silk roads at the heart of central Asia. These centers like the usebakistan Islamic civilization center can help us to identify to document and also to promote our shared past our shared history. alongside the center of Islamic civilization. Several new research institutes across Usbekiststan are also helping to deepen understanding of the region's legacy. the emergence of the many centers around Tusbakistan like the center for Islamic civilization, the Albkari memorial center, Imam Kmidi Memorial Center are shedding light into this cultural heritage and by every passing day we see more and more efforts and we look forward to much more.
The question of whether cultural artifacts should be returned to their countries of origin also came into focus. It is a difficult process. uh not many countries necessarily agree to give back something that they owned throughout the times and ages but it is happening. I think it is very important that these artifacts go to where they belong. They go back home. At the heart of it all was the wider question of how heritage can foster greater mutual understanding. Pakistan has been very active for promoting protecting its cultural legacies and we do hope that they continue to do this and it can inspire other countries as well.
We live in a time where hate speech spreads very fast. So these opportunities to uh sit, speak, exchange ideas and dialogue help people understand each other and prepare for a culture of peace. I think there's much more need for attention uh shedding light towards this part of the world because it has a lot to offer in terms of the legacy, diversity, shared human heritage, dialogue and uh efforts towards the betterment of the society and the humankind. The forum in Paris was part of a wider program to showcase Usbekiststan's heritage with presentations also taking place at the UN in New York and Geneva.
