President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation dedicated to further steps in the field of cultural heritage preservation, museum development, and enhancing the international recognition of Uzbekistan's culture.
The event highlighted significant national achievements in cooperation with UNESCO. Among these is the inclusion of the nomination 'Modernist Architecture of Tashkent. Modernity and Traditions of Central Asia' in the World Heritage List during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee. This site encompasses ten outstanding buildings in the capital, as well as the 'Solntse' heliocomplex, marking the republic's first national inclusion in the UNESCO list in the last twenty-five years.
A State Program for the period 2026–2030 has been approved to support this direction, and a nomination for the natural site 'Zaamin Mountains' is being prepared. In terms of practical restoration, 466.4 billion soums have been allocated from the state budget over the past years. Specialists have prepared 305 design and estimate documents, completed work on 55 sites, and are continuing work on another 152 sites. Furthermore, corresponding cadastral documents have been formed for 8,183 cultural heritage sites.
Thanks to the short-term lease system for monuments, 4,187 business entities have been attracted, which have channeled 27.9 billion soums into the relevant fund. In 2025, 152.9 billion soums in investments were attracted to 52 sites.
A system for assessing heritage impact, known as Heritage Impact Assessment, is also being implemented in the country to ensure the protection of cities such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, Shahrisabz, and Tashkent. It is planned that by 2030, full digitization of all cultural heritage sites will be achieved, along with the creation of a unified digital platform, digital twins, a Heritage Open Data system, and a situational center utilizing artificial intelligence and sensors.
A Visitor Management system is being introduced to control tourist load. In Bukhara, a specialized higher school of restoration is planned to open, and in Samarkand, a project for the conservation and restoration of the Bibi-Khanym complex will begin in cooperation with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. A mosaic center will be established in Tashkent, and in Khiva, within the Ichan Kala museum-reserve, a shopping center named 'Ollokulihon Karvon Sarayi' will appear. Additionally, a commission responsible for the repatriation of cultural property is being formed under the President. All these initiatives will be integrated into the Cultural Heritage Development Strategy for 2027–2035.
