ТASHKENT, February 5. /Dunyo IA/.  Today, “The Youth Creativity Palace” hosted the unveiling of the “Atlas of National Values”, a comprehensive book-album commissioned by the Republic Council for Spirituality and Enlightenment, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Protecting ancestral values and long-standing traditions - and ensuring their transmission to future generations - has become a key challenge facing societies worldwide. A nation’s history, spiritual outlook and way of life are deeply rooted in its cultural heritage. These enduring values serve not only as markers of identity, but also as pillars of social continuity in an increasingly interconnected world. Experts argue that cultural traditions, when thoughtfully preserved, provide societies with a sense of stability and direction amid rapid global change. Maintaining national traditions while adapting them to contemporary realities is seen as particularly important for younger generations. Such an approach helps nurture feelings of patriotism, national pride and a strong sense of self-identity, reinforcing social cohesion and civic responsibility. Against this backdrop, safeguarding national culture, customs and spiritual heritage - and promoting them on the global stage - is widely regarded as one of the most pressing priorities of our time. In an era defined by cultural convergence, these efforts are essential to preserving diversity while ensuring that national voices continue to resonate internationally.

To this end, acting on the priorities set out at the expanded meeting of the Republican Council on Spirituality and Enlightenment, held on 22 December 2023 under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, a comprehensive initiative has been launched. As part of this effort, “Atlas of National Values” has been developed in the form of a book-album, alongside the creation of a dedicated web platform and a mobile application.

Within the framework of the project, a multidisciplinary creative team comprising 28 scholars, intellectuals and highly qualified experts was formed. The group carried out extensive research across eight key thematic areas, including the national values of New Uzbekistan, moral and ethical values, customs and traditions, rituals, national holidays, traditional games as well as national natural and artistic heritage. The research was designed to provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of the country’s cultural and spiritual foundations.

Based on data collected from across all regions of the country, “Atlas of National Values” book-album has been published in Uzbek, English and Russian. The preparation of the publication involved the analysis of more than 1,700 textual entries, over 3,000 photographs, in excess of 300 traditional songs, as well as nearly 2,000 video and audio materials, ensuring a comprehensive and multi-dimensional presentation of Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage.

The book highlights the emergence of a highly developed scholarly and cultural environment in Central Asia, examining the region’s enduring intellectual legacy. Ancient Turkic inscriptions, examples of oral folk literature, and the scholarly heritage of renowned thinkers are analysed as foundational sources of national values. Particular attention is given to the period of Amir Timur (Tamerlane) and the Timurid dynasty, which is widely recognised as a golden era marked by significant advances in science, culture and the flourishing of Islamic values.

The publication further explores the intrinsic relationship between a nation and its national values, highlighting their close interconnection with ethnic space, language, historical memory and the genetic continuity of the people. Particular emphasis is placed on the Uzbek people’s distinctive customs and traditions, as well as moral norms governing family and social life, which are interpreted as the practical and lived expression of national values.

The book-album serves to highlight the historical continuity and inheritance of national values, as well as their enduring significance in the development of contemporary society.

In addition, based on these materials, qadriyatim.uz electronic platform and its accompanying mobile application have been developed. The platform functions as an interactive information hub, continuously updated and designed to provide users - including foreign visitors and members of the Uzbek diaspora - with comprehensive information on national values, as well as tangible and intangible cultural heritage, in multiple foreign languages.

Today, “Atlas of National Values” book-album is being widely presented to the public across Uzbekistan, including at higher education institutions, national cultural centers and key tourist sites, allowing citizens and visitors alike to engage with the country’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage.

Additionally, in collaboration with “Vatandoshlar” Public Foundation, plans have been set for the printing of an additional 1,000 copies of the book-album this year. The initiative also includes presentations at embassies abroad involving members of the Uzbek diaspora, as well as the preparation of new editions of the book-album in Uzbek, English and Chinese, aimed at broadening international access to the nation’s cultural heritage.