The International Conference: “The Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan: A Crucial Link in Promoting the World Islamic Heritage” was opened by the Center’s Director, Ambassador Dr. Shoazim Minovarov, at the Centre’s premises in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 30 May 2023. The two-day conference received scholarly papers from institutions and specialists of various countries dealing with a wide range of topics relating to the history and heritage of Islamic sciences and civilization, with special focus on Central Asia. Keynote addresses were delivered by IRCICA Director General, Ambassador Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Director of the National Library and Archives of Egypt Dr. Osama Talaat, President of Al al-Bayt University, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Prof. Hmoud Al-Dmour. In his speech, Ambassador Kılıç said that the institutions engaged in studies on civilization and cultural heritage are fulfilling key roles in our time, by providing the link between, on one hand, the cultural heritage of humanity, as approached in the context of the UN and the OIC, and on the other, the local and regional heritages symbolizing the cultural identities of communities. Prof. Kılıç alluded, in this regard, to the activities and the cooperation between the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and IRCICA. During the opening ceremony of the conference, the results of the “IRCICA Regional Calligraphy Competition: Central Asia 2023”, organized jointly by IRCICA and the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, were announced; the winners were presented with their certificates and prizes. On this occasion, an Exhibition of Award-Winning Works from IRCICA’s Calligraphy Competitions was opened.
The working sessions were addressed by participants from Austria, Egypt, France, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Tajikistan, U.K., U.S.A. and Uzbekistan, with 58 presentations about research projects and/or institutional experiences regarding the history of natural sciences, religious sciences, arts, literature; manuscripts and publishing; museums, museology and librarianship, past and present. Papers were delivered by IRCICA’s scholars: Prof. Dr. Cengiz Tomar spoke on the significance of studies on Islamic sciences and civilization in Central Asia, IRCICA’s studies in this field and its cooperation with the institutions concerned; Prof. Dr. Ashirbek Muminov spoke on the “Development of Sciences in the 13th – Early 16th Century: The Processes of Formation of the Second Renaissance”.
The same day, 30 May, IRCICA Director General Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç gave a lecture on the illustrious philosopher Ibn Arabi, at the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan. Professor Kılıç’s book titled Şeyh-i Ekber: İbn Arabî Düşüncesine Giriş (The Great Master: Introduction to Ibn Arabî’s Thought), as well as the publications of IRCICA, were introduced and their copies offered to the Academy.
