Megawati Receives Honorary Professor Title From Silk Road IUTCH

The Fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri received the title of honorary professor from Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage (IUTCH) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (photo: dock.)

JAKARTA - The Fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri, has again received the award of title of honorary professor in the field of tourism and cultural heritage from the Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage (IUTCH) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Saturday, September 21. The award took place at the Silk Road IUTCH Rectorate Building, attended by the campus academic community.

The event was also equipped with a graduation ceremony for master program students. The Chancellor of Silk Road IUTCH, Aziz Abduhakirov, who also serves as Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, led the event.

In his remarks, Abduhakimov expressed respect and admiration for Megawati, who was considered to have made a significant contribution in shaping Indonesia's modern identity and playing an active role in civil law, diplomacy, education, and women's empowerment.

"Your extraordinary achievements have made you highly respected not only in Indonesia, but also around the world," said Abduhakimov.

He also highlighted various international forums attended by Megawati as the mainnote speaker, including the 2016 World Cultural Forum and the 2022 Economic and Climate Change Summit. "Your global contribution far exceeds politics," he added.

This prestigious award is a form of recognition for Megawati's efforts to strengthen cooperation between Indonesia and Uzbekistan. "Congratulations on the award that you deserve. You are now a member of our valuable academic community," added Abduhakimov.

At the end of his speech, he invited all parties to pray for Megawati to always be healthy and happy, and hoped that her dedication would inspire future generations.

Abduhakimov also shared Megawati's relationship with her father, President Soekarno, who is known as the founder of the non-block movement. He recalled Soekarno's visit to Samarkand in 1956, when he became the first foreign leader to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Al-Bukhari.

In closing, Abduhakimov reminded that many Indonesians are now following in Soekarno's footsteps by visiting Uzbekistan as part of religious tourism.

With this honorary title, Megawati is expected to continue to contribute to promoting tourism and cultural heritage, as well as strengthening relations between the two countries.