RIYADH, June 22. /Dunyo IA/.  Embassy of Uzbekistan in Saudi Arabia organized an exhibition themed “The Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan and the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent”, dedicated to World Heritage Day, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

At the opening ceremony of the event, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan, Nodirjon Turgunov, briefed the participants on the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, the construction of which was initiated by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in 2018, with its official opening taking place in March of this year. It was particularly emphasized that this center, established for the deep study and wide popularization of the history, culture, and scientific heritage of Islam, stands as one of the largest scientific and educational complexes in the world in terms of its scale and scope of activity.

Furthermore, Embassy's diplomats emphasized that Uzbekistan, situated at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road, has for centuries served as a vital link between the civilizations of the East and the West. Special attention was paid to the unique architectural monuments of the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent, and Fergana, as well as the centuries-old traditions of folk crafts, which constitute an integral part of global cultural heritage.

The exhibition participants showed great interest in the consistent state policy implemented in Uzbekistan to develop tourism infrastructure, as well as the modern conditions created for pilgrimage, gastronomic, ecological, and mountain tourism. It was specifically noted that in recent years, the tourism sector has become an important driver of the country’s economy. It was also reported that the introduction of a 30-day visa-free regime and the “E-visa” system for citizens of the Gulf states - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman - as well as Jordan, contributes to the increasing tourist flow to the country.

During the exhibition, visitors to the national pavilion of Uzbekistan were presented with videos highlighting the country’s historic cities and its modern development, traditional handicrafts, as well as promotional and informational materials from national tourism companies. The showcases stood out favourably among the pavilions of other nations due to their authenticity and vivid national flavour, receiving high praise from the guests of the event.

At the conclusion of the exhibition, guests were served dishes of Uzbek national cuisine, along with natural products of Uzbekistan, including mountain honey, dried fruits and traditional oriental sweets.