Director-General's remarks at the Opening of the International Scientific Conference: “Islamic Civilization: Mawarannahr’s Great Spiritual and Scientific Heritage and Horizons of Enlightenment”

Opening of the International Scientific Conference: “Islamic Civilization: Mawarannahr’s (1.)  Great Spiritual and Scientific Heritage and Horizons of Enlightenment”

Thursday, 22 October 2026, at 4.00 p.m.
Room VII, Palais des Nations
 

Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations. Let me first thank H.E. Mr. Eldiyor Toshmatov and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for organizing this сonference and exhibition, which shine a light on the rich intellectual and cultural heritage of Islamic civilization in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

Centuries ago, Samarkand and Bukhara stood among the world’s great centers of learning. They connected peoples, languages, and traditions across continents. In their schools and observatories, scholars advanced mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, and religious thought, building on the wisdom of earlier civilizations, and enriching it for generations to come.

Their influence is still felt today. Al-Khwarizmi, the father of algebra, gave us the word “algorithm.” Al-Biruni measured the Earth with remarkable precision. Ibn Sina, a forebearer of early modern medicine, pioneered concepts like clinical trials and contagious disease transmission. 

This exhibition brings their legacy to life, together with the monuments that Uzbekistan has given the world: the Registan and the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, the Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Bukhara, and the Imam al-Tirmidhi Complex in Termez. Together, they belong to the heritage of all humanity. And they remind us that progress is rarely the work of a single culture. It is through dialogue, curiosity, and the sharing of ideas that knowledge advances and societies flourish.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today’s gathering also reminds us that safeguarding heritage means more than protecting monuments and manuscripts. It means keeping knowledge alive and open to everyone. This is a conviction we share here in Geneva.

For example, UNOG fully digitized the League of Nations archives, produced between 1919 and 1946, and made them available online and free of charge. What once required a visit to Geneva is now open to students and researchers around the world.

Heritage is also physical. Built for the League of Nations, the Palais des Nations has been home to the United Nations in Geneva since 1946. The Strategic Heritage Plan will make it modern, accessible, sustainable, and safe, so that UN Geneva can keep delivering its mandate. And it will protect this landmark of multilateralism for the generations to come.

Whether it is a historic building, a diplomatic archive, or a scientific manuscript, heritage gains its value when it is preserved, shared, and understood by new generations.

This is the spirit we see in Uzbekistan. The Islamic Civilization Center, which opened to the public earlier this year, reflects the same commitment to cooperation across cultures. I congratulate the Government of Uzbekistan on this milestone, and I am confident that the Center will play an important role in fostering intercultural dialogue and understanding.

I was fortunate to visit the Center in May and to see the richness of the region on display for all. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Looking at the past cannot always help us predict the future, but it can help us make wiser choices. History tells us that solidarity and cooperation have been key to overcoming past crises.

When knowledge is shared, it multiplies. When nations share, they endure. This is the lesson of history, and the promise of multilateralism. 

Thank you.

1. Geographical region: A historical area in Central Asia located between the Amu Darya (which the ancient Arabs called Jayhun) and Syr Darya (Sayhun) rivers. Today, this territory is mainly occupied by Uzbekistan, as well as parts of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. During the Islamic Golden Age (especially under the Samanid and Timurid dynasties), Mawarannahr became one of the world's major centers of science, culture, philosophy, and Islamic theology.