30/03/10 - Tashkent in Photos: the Tour Goes On

“Tashkent – the History of One City”, the exhibition dedicated to the 2200th anniversary of the capital of Uzbekistan, continues its world tour.

Great Britain has become the next country which has welcomed the exhibition whose presentation took place on March 10 at Cambridge University, one of the world’s foremost educational institutions. The exhibition will last until March 25, 2010.

Speakers during the opening ceremony included the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Great Britain Otabek Akbarov, Professor Dame Sandra Dawson, Deputy Vice Chancellorof the University of Cambridge, Professor Robert Mair, Master of Jesus College of the University of Cambridge, Professor Siddharth Saxena, Chairperson of the Cambridge Central Asia Forum among others. During the event the greeting speech of Gulnara Karimova, Chairperson of the Fund Forums Board of Trustees, was also read out.

The Exhibition “Tashkent – the History of One City” is unique not only due to its rare photos but also because it is an “itinerant” exhibition. The exhibition was first showcased in December 2008 in Switzerland. Later it went to Austria and China where it was shown in Dalian during the World Economic Forum.

In Great Britain the presentation was held as part of Cambridge Navruz Celebration Festival attended by professors and students of Cambridge University as well as representatives of universities in London, Oxford, Manchester, Nottingham, Royal Asian Society, the British Museum, business circles, members of parliament and diplomatic corps. This time the exhibition theme was especially opportune given recognition by the UN General Assembly of the traditional Central Asian Spring Holiday and declaration of March 21 as the International Day of Navruz.

The photo exhibition was organized by the Fund Forum with the assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London, the British Council, Cambridge Forum for Central Asia and the British-Uzbek Society. The exhibition consists of roughly 80 photos selected from a book with the same name published by the Fund Forum in conjunction with UNESCO in commemoration of the 2200th anniversary of the capital of Uzbekistan. The pictorial book tells of the history of the development of Tashkent, a city which has always combined the traditional and the modern.

All told, the book contains 450 photos featuring Tashkent in several epochs since photo art emerged in the area. The snapshots were made during 130 years by over a hundred photo masters. The six chapters of the book cover the most important periods of the city’s history, starting with the late 19th century up to the present.

The event also included a concert with the participation of a British choir and students from Uzbekistan. Those attending also had an opportunity to savour traditional meals.

Participants` opinions:

Professor Dame Sandra Dawson, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Cambridge:

Festivals of this kind are crucial to a better understanding of the culture and traditions of Central Asian nations. I have made a very interesting discovery for myself: Cambridge University which has a history that spans over 800 years is comparatively younger than Tashkent which is celebrating its 2200th anniversary. This testifies that Central Asian peoples have a rich and diverse historical legacy, which is very interesting for scholars. I believe that it is very important to study the current development of Central Asia and look into the future together where issues of cultural diversity, mutual understanding and collaborative use of limited resources of the planet will have imporatnt implications for building a better world.

Professor Robert Mair, Master of Jesus College, University of Cambridge:

First of all, lem me extend my congratulations on the occasion of this spring holiday and thank you for the opportunity to see in Great Britain how splendid Navruz is. This sort of events are certain to contribute to the development of cultural and educational ties between the UK and Central Asian countries.

Professor Siddharth Saxena (Montu), Chairperson of the Cambridge Central Asia Forum:

This year Navruz celebration has become the biggest event dedicated to this theme that has ever been held at Cambridge and in Great Britain as a whole. The unprecedented number of participants is indicative of heightened interest in the cultures of Central Asia and, in particular, Uzbekistan, one of the leaders of the region. The key part of this event is the exhibition “Tashkent – the History of One City”. The photos piqued the interest of all the people that attended. Unfortunately, about 200 people were not able to attend the exhibition as the number of seats was limited. Thanks to the cooperation of the Fund Forum, the British Council and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London, people here have had an opportunity to come away with bright impressions of the city which can be called the heart of Asia.

Charles Melville, Professor, Lecturer in Asian Studies at Cambridge University:

The idea to organize the photo exhibition and Navruz Festival is very opportune given growing interest in Central Asian shown by Britain and the world. In my view, we need to do more profound research into the history, languages, cultures and modern development of Central Asian countries. In this regard, I would recommend adding respective subjects to the curricula of Cambridge University and establishing a Centre for Central Asian Studies.