BERLIN, September 11. /Dunyo IA/. Renowned German archaeologist and historian, Curator of the Capital Cultural Fund – Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Professor Hermann Parzinger, extended his sincere congratulations and best wishes through Dunyo IA on the occasion of the 35^th Anniversary of the Independence of Uzbekistan:

-  Thirty-five years of independence indeed represent an important and significant period in the history of Uzbekistan. Today, the country has become one of the key states in Central Asia. Concurrently, amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, the significance of Uzbekistan, including its role in ensuring dialogue and mediation between parties, is growing even further. Since ancient times, Uzbekistan has occupied an important political and cultural position in the history of Eurasia. From this perspective, it is extremely vital and positive that Uzbekistan consistently develops robust cultural and scientific ties with Germany and other European nations.

I still vividly remember my first visit to Uzbekistan in 1995, when I succeeded in establishing scientific contacts with the universities of Tashkent and Samarkand, as well as with archaeologists and cultural scholars from the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. Between 1997 and 1999, while heading the Eurasia Department of the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, we conducted research on the territory of Uzbekistan jointly with specialists from the German Mining Museum in Bochum, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology and our colleagues from the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.

In the course of these studies, we managed to clarify a vital question concerning the raw material supply of the ancient world during the early stages of its development. In Karnab, located in the Zarafshan Valley approximately halfway between Samarkand and Bukhara, we carried out archaeological excavations on the site of an ancient mining settlement. As a result, it was established for the first time that traces of tin mining existed here dating back to the beginning of the 2^nd millennium BC, corresponding to the Middle Bronze Age. For the archaeology of that period, this discovery became an absolute sensation.

Point is that the question regarding the origin of the tin required for bronze production had long remained unresolved for scientists.

This breakthrough was the fruit of our cooperation with Uzbek scientists and scientific institutions, which was established back in the early 1990s. Shortly after Uzbekistan gained its independence, during a complex period of profound transformations within society and the state, the country faced serious challenges, including matters concerning the preservation and financing of scientific research facilities. Uzbekistan successfully overcame these difficulties, implemented numerous international projects across various scientific fields and thereby became an important and authoritative participant in international scientific cooperation.

Today, research into the archaeology and cultural history of Central Asia is inconceivable without the participation of Uzbek scholars. This is primarily attributed to the unique geographical position and territorial scale of the country. Uzbekistan spans a vast territory - from the Aral Sea to the Oxus River (Amu Darya) on the border with Afghanistan, and from the Fergana Valley and the Tashkent Oasis to the Kyzylkum Desert. Consequently, the country encompasses a diverse range of cultural spaces, each possessing its own distinctive features, cultural and historical traditions. In this sense, Uzbekistan represents a unique crossroads of cultural influences converging between East and West, North and South.

Remarkable exhibition dedicated to the archaeological treasures of Uzbekistan, showcased in 2024 on Museum Island in Berlin, vividly demonstrated the country's exceptional historical significance for Central Asia and the broader region and allowed this extraordinarily rich heritage to be presented to the general public.

In 2023-2024, James Simon Gallery and the Neues Museum on Museum Island in Berlin hosted the remarkable exhibition “Archaeological Treasures of Uzbekistan: From Alexander the Great to the Kushan Empire”. It impressively demonstrated the country's unique historical significance in the history of Central Asia and territories beyond, allowing the general public to become closely acquainted with this immense historical and cultural heritage.

Archaeology has always been a science founded on international cooperation, and its development is therefore directly dependent on scientific interaction between researchers from different countries. This is particularly crucial because the territories where ancient cultures and civilizations spread do not coincide with the political borders of modern states. This is precisely why there is no alternative to international cooperation in archaeology.

Such cooperation opens up broad opportunities for the exchange of scientific methods and approaches, theoretical and conceptual perspectives, as well as knowledge and experience between scholars and students. It is impossible to imagine advanced, world-class scientific research without international cooperation. This is of particularly critical importance for archaeology and other fields related to cultural studies.

If I were asked to characterize the country in a single phrase, I would say: “Uzbekistan is a fascinating crossroads of cultures”.

“I extend my most heartfelt and sincere congratulations to the people of Uzbekistan on the 35^th Anniversary of Independence. May the close, reliable, and valued cooperation between Uzbekistan, Germany, and Europe endure forever! May our partnership across all fields of science and culture continue to strengthen, expand and flourish!