ICCROM is proud to announce that Uzbekistan has joined as our 138th Member State. This milestone strengthens our commitment to heritage conservation and expands ICCROM’s global footprint and efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage in all its forms worldwide for a lasting impact.
Uzbekistan is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the historic centres of Bukhara and Shakhrisyabz, renowned for their exceptional Timurid monuments; the unique urban compositions of Itchan Kala in the inner fortress of Khiva; and the historic city of Samarkand. The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor of the Silk Roads and the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan, both transnational sites, illustrate Uzbekistan's strategic role in ancient trade routes and showcase a diverse and resilient natural landscape across Central Asia. Additionally, Uzbekistan's intangible heritage, expressed through traditional knowledge, crafts, and ways of life, further illustrates its invaluable historical contributions.
“Uzbekistan’s membership will not only strengthen relationships with institutions in Uzbekistan but will also allow us to have a greater impact on the ground in the whole Central Asia” remarked ICCROM’s Director-General. "Together, we can ensure that Uzbekistan's invaluable heritage is maintained and celebrated, propelling longer-term sustainability for our people, our communities and our planet. Investing in capacity building is the most effective way to conserve our heritage today while ensuring an enduring legacy for our future generations".
Culture and youth are at the heart of our future and positioning them as drivers for growth and innovation is central in all our endeavours. By building on traditional knowledge, Uzbekistan is nurturing a new generation of young leaders who are deeply connected to their roots while being forward-thinking and innovative. Uzbekistan and ICCROM share these values, which will guide our future joint work and interventions.
“Engaging youth in cultural conservation, preservation, and celebration ensures the transmission of knowledge and inspires creative approaches to conservation linked to sustainable development,” the ICCROM Director-General emphasized.
As we embark on this new journey with Uzbekistan, we look forward to strengthening collaboration with its people and institutions dedicated to cultural heritage conservation and preservation. We are eager to learn from their unique perspectives and approaches to conservation, enhancing our collective knowledge and practices.
The membership of Uzbekistan to ICCROM opens the avenue to a vibrant, strategic and programmatic partnership around joint priority areas which promises to bring lasting benefits to ICCROM’s global mandate and its Member States, fostering a shared commitment to preserving and safeguarding our heritage for present and future generations. Our Heritage is our future, a sustainable future.
Welcome, Uzbekistan, to ICCROM!
