Uzbekistan's Bukhara Turns Heritage And Crafts Into Drivers Of Urban Dev't - Official

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. The Uzbek city of Bukhara is strengthening its position as one of Central Asia's leading cultural and tourist hubs, leveraging its heritage and creative industries as drivers of sustainable urban development, the deputy Mayor of Bukhara and Head of the City Department of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Sharofiddin Khusenov, said, Trend reports.

He made the statement at the panel session“UNESCO Creative Cities and Sustainable Urban Development” as part of WUF13 in Baku.

Sharofiddin Khusenov expressed gratitude to the forum organizers for providing a platform for dialogue between cities and international partners, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and sustainable urban development.

“It is a great honor for me to speak at such a high-level event as the World Urban Forum in Baku. On behalf of the Bukhara City Administration, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizers for this important platform, which brings together world leaders and cities committed to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development,” he stated.

Presenting his city, Sharofiddin Khusenov noted that Bukhara is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, with a history spanning more than 2,500 years, and an important hub on the Great Silk Road, which historically connected the East and West and fostered cultural, scientific, and spiritual exchange.

He noted that the city is now officially recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City in the field of crafts and folk art (since 2023) and is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which brings together hundreds of cities around the world.

According to him, Bukhara is known for its unique traditions of gold embroidery, ceramics, jewelry making, and woodcarving, where crafts remain an integral part of the city's living cultural identity.

He emphasized that in recent years, culture in Bukhara has become a key instrument of sustainable urban development, including the implementation of large-scale cultural initiatives such as the first Bukhara Biennale,“Recipes for Broken Hearts.”

“The Biennale brought together more than 200 participants from 39 countries, who presented contemporary works on the themes of food, healing, loss, and human connections. More than 70 contemporary art installations were placed within the spaces of UNESCO World Heritage sites, transforming the historic city into a vibrant cultural platform,” he noted.

He added that the project demonstrated how culture can serve as a powerful tool for urban regeneration without destroying the historical environment, but rather by enhancing its significance and relevance.

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