Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Hello, dear members of the press conference! Dear journalists and bloggers!

First of all, I would like to express my immense gratitude to be meeting with you on such a blessed day, especially when the spirit of Navruz is spreading throughout our country. We have the opportunity to meet and speak during various state events, conferences, and festivals, as many of you know. However, believe me, the desire for direct communication with you about our activities, ongoing reforms, and new developments has always been mutual.

Personally, I had requested to hold this press conference a little earlier, but due to time constraints, it was delayed. However, as they say, there is no early or late goodness—our meeting today was destined for today.

I hope that we will be able to provide you with much information about our activities during this event. For this reason, all responsible officials from the Ministry of Culture have come to attend this event, meaning I am here with my entire team.

Dear friends, as you know, on December 22, 2023, under the leadership of our esteemed President, an expanded meeting of the Republic’s Spirituality and Enlightenment Council was held, where a number of priority tasks were identified for further development in the field of culture and arts.

Moreover, on December 25, 2023, two important documents were adopted by the head of our state. These were:

• The decision on “Measures to further enhance the level of cultural services to the population.”
• The decision on “Additional measures to protect, study, and promote intangible cultural heritage.”

These documents, along with the tasks identified at the meeting of the Spirituality and Enlightenment Council, serve as a roadmap for taking our work to the next level. Before discussing them in detail, I would like to briefly provide information on the work carried out in 2023, from the perspective of an annual review.

It should be noted that in 2023, significant work was carried out to develop our national culture. One of the key areas was the theater’s activity, where 150 new performances were staged last year, including 57 national and 35 foreign plays. Moreover, 40 plays were commissioned by the state based on the idea “For the dignity of humanity.”

This has never happened before, and it is a direct result of our President’s attention to the theater arts. Puppet theaters were built in the Navoi and Kashkadarya regions, and theaters were also provided with 15 transportation vehicles. A total of 604 circus performances were held, attracting 42,000 spectators, while 17,202 concerts reached almost 10 million people.

In addition, two special vehicles were purchased to improve cultural services for people in remote and rural areas, and concert programs titled "Culture Caravan" were held in 7 regions.

In 2023, 110 concerts were held with full live performances, twice the number from the previous year. Furthermore, 12 international festivals and events were held in our country, such as the "International Bakshichilik Arts," "Euro-Asian International Theater Festival," "Sounds of the World," and "Silk Road Gems."

You are all aware that in recent years, there has been increased attention to humor arts, with the creation of the "Yusufjon Shakarjonov Republican Humor and Comedy Arts Center." This year alone, a state order was given for 50 audiovisual works in the field of comedy arts.

Dear journalists and bloggers, I could provide dozens of numbers and statistics about the work done in 2023, but to save time, let me focus on the ongoing and upcoming tasks resulting from the expanded meeting of the Republic's Spirituality and Enlightenment Council.

For example, under the leadership of our President, a "Theater Day" is held once a month, encouraging students, public officials, and their families to attend theater performances. I encourage all of you to also take the opportunity to visit a theater, as this not only provides cultural enrichment but also helps raise awareness about our national arts.

In the upcoming year, the focus will continue on the development of cultural centers, including the establishment of new model cultural centers in towns and cities. A major project is underway to create an "Uzbek Culture" portal, which will serve as a significant platform to promote national culture both domestically and internationally.