Uzbekistan Ready To Become A New Center For The Awakening Of Islamic Civilizations With CIC In Tashkent

JAKARTA Uzbekistan is strengthening its role as one of the axes of world Islamic civilization by building a Center for Islamic Civilization (CIC) at the heart of the capital, Tashkent. This center is predicted to be a symbol of the revival of Islamic heritage as well as Central Asia's contribution to the global community.

CIC Director-General, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, as quoted by ANTARA, said the presence of the agency would put Uzbekistan on par with world cultural centers such as the Louvre,tur, or the Arabian World Institute.

"CIC is a national pride as well as a global dialogue window," he said.

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made CIC a strategic project not only to strengthen the nation's identity, but also to spread the value of tolerance, enlightenment, and progress of Islam throughout the world.

Ahead of the opening of this fall, CIC has prepared a valuable collection that is mostly the result of cultural repatriation: fragments of the 9th century Qur'an Kufi, original texts of Ibnu Sina and al-Biruni, Easturiyah-era ceramics, to Selejuk jewelry. All of them are combined with local collections such as Sogdiana fabrics, Central Asian coins, as well as artifacts from Babar.

In its main building which stands majestic near the historic Hazrati Imam complex, visitors will be presented by Mushaf Utsmani, one of the oldest manuscripts of the Qur'an in the world that UNESCO recognizes as a world heritage. The presence of this mushaf makes CIC not only a museum, but also a spiritual witness to the long journey of Islamic civilization.

CIC was built with the main dome as high as 65 meters and four thematic galleries: Pre-Islamic Heritage, First Renaissance, Second Renaissance, and Modern Uzbekistan. The facilities are complete: modern libraries, restoration laboratories, digital archives with 25,000 collections, as well as children's museums based on interactive technology.

With the establishment of CIC, Uzbekistan sent a strong message to the world: Central Asia is not just a guardian of Islamic heritage, but also a new motorbike for intellectual revival and global culture.