Photo: iStock
Norbert Csizmadia
08/01/2025 06:04
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced the "Third Uzbek Renaissance", a new era that builds on the historical renaissance, when the country was driven by the development of knowledge and technology. Today, education, technological innovation and international integration have become key to the country's modernisation.
The historical Renaissance
The Renaissance periods in the region have always been linked to the Silk Road. The Renaissance, meaning rebirth, was based on a fusion of talent, technology, capital and cognition. Uzbekistan has a rich history. The Silk Road was an important link between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The cities of Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara were centres of trade, goods, culture, technology and science. Luxury goods such as silk, precious spices and porcelain were all found here. The local silk was high quality abr silk, which means 'floating clouds' in Persian. In addition, spices and herbs were of great importance. Ibn Sina (or Avicenna), the most famous physician and scholar of the early Middle Ages, was the first to write his Book of Healing a thousand years ago. When Marco Polo passed through Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand on his travels in the 1280s, he reported astonishing wealth. The first 'Eastern Renaissance' (9th-13th centuries) saw the rise of scientists such as Al-Khwarizmi, the creator of algebra, and Al-Biruni, the first anthropologist, whose work continues to influence the development of science today.
The second Renaissance dates from the 14th to 16th centuries, also known as the "Timurid Renaissance" after the great warlord Amir Timur (Timur Lenk). His grandson, Prince Ulug, was one of the leading scientists and astronomers of the world at the time, who made Samarkand a centre of knowledge and science. In 1437, he published his star catalogue, which contained the exact data of 1019 stars, and the observatory he built was the largest of its kind in that historical period. This period was a real golden age for science and art, and it remains an important part of Uzbek identity today. Another Renaissance thinker, Alisher Navoi, also left us an invaluable creative and scientific legacy, which has a special place in world literature. His statue can be found in Lakitelek, Hungary, after Tokyo, Shanghai, Astana and Baku.
The Third Renaissance - the rebirth of 21st century Uzbekistan
The country is building on its historical heritage, in particular the rich cultural traditions of the Silk Road. This rebirth includes the preservation of its cultural and scientific roots, as well as modern technological challenges. In President Mirziyoyev's vision, the third Uzbek Renaissance is based on education and science. In terms of higher education, the number of universities has tripled in recent years and English-language courses are gaining ground. In this way, the government aims to provide competitive and internationally recognised knowledge. Uzbekistan looks to Singapore as a model to follow, which has been successful because of its economic openness and advanced education system. In October 2024, Tashkent hosted the first Central Asia University Forum, where participants discussed the future of education and its role in the economy. Modern Uzbekistan is therefore investing in the knowledge and technology of the future, recognising that a well-educated and creative workforce is the basis for success. The country is also building on computer technologies and digital training to ensure that the next generation is ready for the challenges of the global economy. The five pillars of the third Uzbek Renaissance are inclusion, innovation, human capital, confidence and economic growth.
The country believes that the seeds of the future are sown in knowledge. Economic growth in Uzbekistan is above 6 per cent per year, and the productivity rate is also very high, above 3 per cent. The population is growing naturally by 1 million people a year, which is why education is so important. In addition to natural resources such as uranium and gold, innovation and culture are also extremely important. Uzbekistan is ranked 47th in the World Happiness List of the happiest countries, two places ahead of Hungary. The country has also achieved an outstanding result at the 2024 Summer Olympics, finishing 15th in the medal table with 8 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. In the capital Tashkent, huge investments have started in 2017. The city, which calls itself the Dubai of Central Asia, is building a number of hotels, university centres and commercial centres, and entire neighbourhoods are being renovated.
Knowledge can be enhanced through technology, which Uzbekistan is pairing with the creative and cultural industries, as the pages of the third renaissance will be written not with pen and ink but with computers and digital technologies. Uzbekistan is using its future to connect with the most modern challenges, respecting ancient traditions, which will be the basis of its third renaissance.