UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST ADDED WITH NEW OBJECTS IN UZBEKISTAN

The Tashkent International Business Center has hosted a solemn ceremony of awarding certificates on the inclusion of the Transnational serial nomination "Western Tien-Shan" (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as the celebration of Navruz and the cultural traditions associated with the national dish pilaf, in representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by the UNESCO.

The event was organized by the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Nature Protection and the National Commission of Uzbekistan for the UNESCO.

Representatives of the Ministries of Culture and Sports, Foreign Affairs, Public Education, the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, khokimiyat (local adminstration) of Tashkent region, administration of the Ugam-Chatkal State National Natural Park, the Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan, as well as the diplomatic corps and international organizations accredited in our country attended the ceremony.

In his speech, the head of the UNESCO office in our country Krista Pikkat noted that Uzbekistan has unique cultural and natural monuments, which, of course, are part of world heritage.

— To date, the five objects of Uzbekistan are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and the six elements in the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Today, I am very pleased on behalf of the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, handing the government of Uzbekistan certificates for the inclusion of the Western Tien-Shan on the World Heritage list of UNESCO and the inclusion of the tradition and culture of pilaf and Navruz in Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

In accordance with the decision of the 40th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, conducted on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, part of the Central Asian mountain system of Tien-Shan covering the territory of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, was added the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site as a transboundary site "West Tien-Shan". On the part of Uzbekistan it was included the protected areas and Maydantal Bashkyzylsay of the Ugam-Chatkal State National Reserve. The Nomination of "Chatkal Mountains" in transnational project "Western Tien Shan" - the first natural site in Uzbekistan which received such a high status.

Chatkal reserve - it’s a real treasure of rare and endemic species of flora and fauna of the mountain ecosystems in Central Asia where concentrated large tracts of mountain forests and unique ancient quaternary relict community of foothill steppes, as well as a rich variety of walnut-fruit forests. Thanks to efficient environmental activities in the reserve there were kept wild ancestors of many cultivated plants which are gene pool for breeding in global scale.

Uzbekistan is also planning to include rock carvings Sarmishsay, Shahimardan, Zaamin Mountain, Mountain Hissar and Baysun reserve in the list of World Heritage.

Certificate on the inclusion of the transnational serial nomination "Western Tien-Shan" (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site was awarded to the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Nature Protection, the festival of Navruz in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO to the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan became the guardian of the traditions of the Uzbek people’s pride - pilaf.

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