International scientists and scholars call for global education to fight Islamophobia

WOSCU conference endorses Samarkand declaration for a 'humane Islam'

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- International scientists and scholars have adopted a resolution supporting Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's call for "enlightenment against ignorance" and for an end to Islamophobia. They agreed that education on Islam should be the main objective for its forthcoming heritage project, agreeing that improved understanding is vital for addressing the irrational fear or hostility towards the religion of Islam and Muslims in general.

Participants from 35 countries were attending the eighth annual Congress of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan (WOSCU), with representatives of the International Organization of Turkic Culture, Muslim World Islamic League, the Al-Furqan Foundation, the International Turkic Academy, the Arab World Institute and others.

"On behalf of more than 300 participants from 35 countries, including 15 academicians, 40 professors, 103 doctors of science, 54 directors of museums and libraries and others, we are firmly convinced that the work on studying and preserving cultural legacy is of paramount importance for the sustainable development and prosperity of not only Uzbekistan, but also the entire world community," their declaration states.

In a letter to President Mirziyoyev, conference participants noted his broad support for the idea of a humane Islam that he expressed in an address to the United Nations and his emphasis on the importance of spiritual enrichment. "We fully support your initiatives and are ready to become the most active participants in large-scale projects to preserve the cultural legacy of Uzbekistan for world civilization," the letter said.

The Congress, held partly in Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent and partly in ancient Samarkand, approved some 150 new WOSCU projects around the world 'aimed at revealing the great contribution of Oriental scholars who have made a significant contribution to world civilization'.

Participants praised Uzbekistan's investment in Tashkent's Center of Islamic Civilization and the Imam al Bukhari Spiritual Center near Samarkand, both of which are currently under construction. "We consider it our most important task not only to join the activities of the Center of Islamic Civilization, but also to create a powerful and rapidly developing scientific and cultural platform that will become a bright beacon of enlightenment and knowledge in the East," the scholars concluded.

The Declaration, adopted at the congress's plenary session, stated:

"We recognize the importance of the initiatives of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to establish the Center of Islamic Civilization. This cultural and humanistic mega-project will give a powerful impetus to fundamental research dedicated to the worthy contribution of great scholars and thinkers of the East to the development of world science and civilization, including Islamic. We are concerned about the situation in the world and believe that the ideas of the President of Uzbekistan on the truly humanistic and educational essence of the religion of Islam, voiced from the high rostrum of the UN, are worthy of the closest attention."

About WOSCU

The World Scientific Society on Preservation and Popularisation of the Uzbek Heritage (WOSCU) works to highlight Uzbek cultural heritage around the world.

Created in May 2017 in Tashkent and Samarkand, the organisation brings together scientists from more than 20 countries, and in August 2019 was registered with a headquarters in Paris. It is sponsored by Eriell Group and Enter Engineering.

The organisation project is unique in terms of geographical coverage, research fields and organisation, and has created a global database that lists the historical and cultural objects of the peoples of Uzbekistan, that are currently housed in many countries worldwide.

To date, many research trips have been organised to collect information on international collections of art objects that were originally created in Uzbekistan, and are now stored in various museums and private collections. Several books and albums devoted to Uzbek works that are held in museums globally have already been published, with contributions from more than 50 academics from different countries.

WOSCU website: https://society.uz/

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