01/06/10 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development in Uzbekistan

Дата публикации: Feb 09, 2012 1:29:17 PM

WORLD DAY FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY FOR DIALOGUE AND DEVELOPMENT IN UZBEKISTAN

Aiming at preservation of the “fruitful diversity of the cultures” of its Member States and promoting “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on its 31st session of General Conference on 2 November 2001 adopted Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. The 57th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 December 2002 in its Resolution 57/249 “Culture and Development” proclaimed 21 May as World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity suggests a new concept of relationship among diversity, dialogue and development. According to the Preamble of the 2001 Declaration, culture should be considered as “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group and it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs”. Cultural diversity is one of the roots of development, understood not simply in economic aspect, but also as a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence.

Being a multinational country, where representatives of more than 130 nationalities and ethnic groups live, Uzbekistan promotes cultural diversity and multilingualism. Representatives of all ethnic groups of the society are educated in equal rights in the system of education. Secondary education in Uzbekistan is conducted in seven languages: Uzbek, Karakalpak, Russian, Kazakh, Tajik, Kyrgyz and Turkmen. Learners are also provided with educational materials and textbooks in seven languages. Mass media, including TV, radio and periodical publications, are broadcasted and disseminated in twelve languages. One of the brightest examples of promotion and development of cultural diversity in the republic is the activities of the Republican International Cultural Centre. The Centre, established in 1992 on initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, encourages development of national and cultural centres of Uzbekistan, preservation and development of traditions, customs and language of different ethnic groups, and fostering multinational culture.

In the sphere of culture, the Republic of Uzbekistan has ratified four international standard-setting documents of UNESCO, among them – Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 and Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003. Within the framework of the 1972 Convention, four historic and cultural sites of Uzbekistan – Ichan Kala complex of Khiva, Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2001 city of Bukhara was awarded UNESCO Prize “City for Peace”. Cultural Space of Boysun District, Shashmaqom Music, Katta Ashula and Navruz were inscribed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Humanity, established by the 2003 Convention.

In the sphere of preservation of intangible cultural heritage and promoting cultural diversity, International Music Festival “Sharq taronalari” has been organized since 1997 under the patronage of UNESCO on initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.

Uzbekistan also participates in the “Memory of the World” Programme, aimed at preservation of the world's rare documentary heritage and library funds. The Holy Koran of Othman, preserved in Tashkent, and Collection of manuscripts of Al-Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan were included into the international register of this programme.

Considering the relationship between cultural pluralism and development of creative abilities of the society, great attention is paid in Uzbekistan to harmonious upbringing of personality, his/her intellectual, moral, spiritual and physical development based on respect for cultures and traditions. In this connection, 2010 was proclaimed in Uzbekistan as “Year of Harmoniously Developed Generation”, which is consonant with the decision of UN General Assembly to proclaim 2010 as “International Year of Youth”.

Information Agency “Jahon”

(according to information from

National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO)