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Center for Islamic Civilization
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Center for Islamic Civilization (uz O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Vazirlar Mahkamasi huzuridagi O‘zbekistonda islom sivilizatsiyasi markazi) is the largest cultural, scientific, and educational complex in Uzbekistan. It combines a museum, a research institute, libraries, international partner organizations, scientific laboratories, centers of traditional crafts, and educational departments.
The Center’s activities are aimed at the comprehensive study of the history of Uzbekistan from ancient times to the modern period, with a focus on the region’s contribution to world civilization in the fields of science, culture, and spiritual heritage. Special attention is given to the scientific legacy of Uzbek scholars, the study of their works, as well as contemporary academic research and new discoveries.
At the present stage, the Center is under construction, with its opening scheduled in the near future.
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History
The Center was an initiative of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev with the goal of presenting Islam as a religion of "goodness, peace and tolerance." Mirziyoyev envisaged the Center as a vehicle to scientifically substantiate the greatness of Islamic civilization. [1]
Mirziyoyev formally announced the establishment of the Center for Islamic Culture in June 2017.[2] Later, he proposed renaming it the Center for Islamic Civilization.[3]
On July 16, 2021, President Mirziyoyev described the Center as a scientific and educational center that would promote Uzbekistan's role in the cultural heritage of the region. Among its missions would be to establish libraries and train guides and translators.[4] The Center for Islamic Civilization will cooperate with UNESCO, ISESCO and other international organizations.[5]The ICESCO Manuscripts Center will be housed at the Center.[6]
In preparation for the opening, ancient manuscripts and objects directly related to the history and culture of Uzbekistan were purchased from antique dealers, private collectors and international auction houses such as Christie's and Sotheby's.[7]
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Design and architecture
On September 1, 2017, Mirziyoyev visited the Khazrati Imam complex to view the site chosen for the project. A plot of land of about 10 hectares was allocated next to the complex. Mirziyoyev personally laid the cornerstone on June 15, 2018.[8]The length of the three-story building of the Islamic Civilization Center is 145 meters, the width is 115 meters. The height of the central dome is 65 meters.[9] At least $161.8 million was allocated for the construction of the building.[10] The construction was supposed to be completed by the beginning of 2024, but work on the project remains ongoing.[11]
The first floor will house a research center, a data digitization and restoration laboratory, a storage fund for museum exhibits and rare manuscripts. A museum with an exhibition hall of about 15,000 square meters is planned for the second floor. Various exhibits of the cultural heritage of the Islamic world will be displayed in thematic order. In the center of the museum, under a 50-meter dome, the Quran of Usman will be located. A library with 100,000 manuscripts and their digital copies will be located on the third floor.[12][13]
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Museum
The museum will consist of five halls dedicated to the Quran, pre-Islamic civilization, Islamic Golden Age,Timurid Renaissance and modern history of Uzbekistan.[14] Scholars involved in the establishment of the museum include Francois Deroche and Irina Popova.[15][16][17]
Administration
On July 25, 2017, diplomat Shoazim Minovarov was appointed the first director of the Center for Islamic Civilization.[18] On June 6, 2024, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Chairman of the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, was appointed the new director of the Center.[19]
International partners
Exhibitions
The Qur’an of Caliph Uthman, one of the oldest manuscripts of the Islamic world, will be exhibited alongside 114 Qur’ans, symbolic of the 114 surahs, dating from different periods. Each of the texts sheds light on the development of calligraphy and the spiritual culture of its time.[23]
References
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