Doha hosts the Week of Culture, Crafts and Tourism of Uzbekistan
The rich and unique heritage, especially the enchanting art of our people, seems to be polished by time. The pearls of art that have come down to us from time immemorial, bakhshi, lazgi, and handicrafts, surprising with their uniqueness, are of international importance, UzA reports.
We are pleased that unique examples of our national culture, presented so far in countries such as France, Germany, China, and Saudi Arabia, have helped art lovers rediscover Uzbekistan.
As part of one of the agreements reached during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the State of Qatar, which took place on October 1-2, 2023, it was envisaged to expand the scope of cultural and educational cooperation. It was also agreed that in 2024, the Week of Culture, Crafts and Tourism of Uzbekistan will be held in Doha.
Over the past period, significant steps have been taken to strengthen relations. The opening of embassies in Tashkent and Doha in 2023 was a historic event and gave new impetus to developing cooperation in many areas. It can be noted that the Week taking place in the capital of Qatar serves to unite the people of the two countries.
For four days, during the opening ceremony and festive events at the Darb Al Saai cultural square, Uzbekistan’s rich heritage – classical and folk applied arts, performing traditions, customs, and values – was demonstrated to the local population and foreign tourists, the Uzbek public in this country.
So far, only the Qatar National Day has been celebrated at the Darb Al Saai cultural square. For the first time, an event of a foreign state dedicated to the cultural values of Uzbekistan was held.
Meanwhile, large-scale work is being carried out to develop an integral part of our national spirituality – culture, literature, and art. For example, last year, Uzbekistan Culture Days were held at a high level in 24 countries, including neighboring ones. In particular, the projects of the Art and Culture Development Foundation in various areas are currently receiving worthy recognition among the international community.
At an extended meeting of the Republican Council on Spirituality and Enlightenment, held on December 22, 2023, chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, an opinion was expressed on the need for active participation in major international festivals, including in various forums on design, architecture, and crafts. This year, it is planned to organize similar exhibitions in several countries, such as Italy, the United Kingdom, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Events within the framework of the Week of Culture, which contribute to strengthening friendly ties established with Qatar, also include the demonstration of the intangible cultural heritage of our people, a diverse cultural landscape, maqom and bakhshi art, jewelry, calligraphy, miniatures, fine, decorative and applied arts, national musical instruments.
Simultaneously with the Week of Culture, Crafts and Tourism of Uzbekistan, the Azerbaijan National Day was organized in Doha. Notably, representatives of the Azerbaijani government also took part in the opening ceremony of the Uzbekistan forum at the proposal of the Qatari side.
Currently, when the role of cultural diplomacy in the international arena is increasing, exhibition halls of different countries are decorated with examples of art telling about Uzbekistan’s history, culture, and art. On February 25, the exhibition “Crafting Uzbekistan: Tradition in Threads” starts at the Design Doha Biennial.
