Bukhara Forum – a call to strengthen interreligious dialogue and interethnic harmony in the world

On May 16-20, 2022, an international forum "Dialogue of Declarations" is being held in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, which is organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies (ISMI) under the President of Uzbekistan jointly with the Institute for Global Engagement (USA) with the support of the Committee on Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers, the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, the International Islamic Academy, the Academy of state administration and khokimiyats of Samarkand and Bukhara regions.

For details about the significance of the Forum, the correspondent of the information agency "Dunyo" turned to the deputy director of ISRS Shafoat Nurullayeva.
– Shafoat Fayzullayevna, please tell us how the idea of holding the forum originated?

The International Forum "Dialogue of Declarations" is part of the systematic and consistent efforts of Uzbekistan to put into practice the principles and provisions enshrined in the Special Resolution of the UN General Assembly "Education and Religious Tolerance", adopted in 2018 on the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
One of the practical steps in this direction was the signing in 2018 of a memorandum of understanding between ISMI and the American Institute for Global Engagement.
The American partners supported the idea of organizing a dialogue platform with the involvement of prominent politicians, experts and theologians from different countries to discuss the issue of strengthening interfaith relations and creating an atmosphere of mutual agreement between adherents of different religions, which is important for the entire world community.
Within the framework of cooperation and in order to discuss these issues, the first large forum was held in Tashkent and Samarkand in 2019 with the participation of experts from the Institute of Global Engagement and representatives of political-forming circles, analytical communities, various faiths, as well as religious scholars from dozens of foreign countries.
– What is the main purpose of the current Forum and what tasks will the participants of the event have to solve?
To begin with, it should be noted that the international forum "Dialogue of Declarations" will be an important event that provides an opportunity for the world community to get acquainted with the rich cultural, historical, religious and philosophical heritage of the Uzbek people, as well as the socio-political and political-legal experience of Uzbekistan in the field of ensuring interfaith harmony and religious tolerance, maintaining an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding in society.
The current Forum is a scientific, educational and dialogue platform for the exchange of views on religious tolerance, which will be attended by about 40 prominent theologians, religious scholars, jurists and officials from about 10 countries, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Austria, Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria and others.
Among the main tasks of the Forum are the following.
Firstly, bringing to the international community information about the ongoing reforms in the country in the field of strengthening interfaith tolerance and interethnic harmony as one of the priorities of Uzbekistan's state policy. 
As you know, large-scale reforms are being implemented in our country today in all spheres of public and state life. Noticeable positive changes are also taking place in the field of religion. Under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, a consistent policy of liberalizing the sphere of religion is being carried out, the necessary conditions are being created for the proper satisfaction of the religious needs of the population, the development of a culture of tolerance and humanity.
Secondly, an important task is to disseminate Uzbekistan's experience in ensuring interfaith, interethnic harmony and tolerance in society. Uzbekistan has a centuries-old positive experience in this area, which has always attracted the attention of foreign scientists and political circles. At the same time, opportunities were constantly expanding to meet the religious needs of adherents of various faiths. Today, in the context of growing interfaith contradictions in some regions of the world, many foreign experts consider the Uzbek model of tolerant interfaith relations as an illustrative and useful example to study.
Thirdly, it is also expected to exchange views and discuss international experience in ensuring religious freedoms and interfaith harmony in multinational societies.
In this context, it is worth emphasizing that Uzbekistan has a developed legislative framework aimed at ensuring the right of every citizen of the country to freedom of conscience and religion, equality, regardless of their attitude to religion. The constitutional norms of Uzbekistan guarantee the right of everyone to profess any religion or not to profess any. At the same time, the establishment of any advantages or restrictions of one religion or denomination in relation to others is not allowed.
Fourthly, following the results of the Forum, the adoption of the "Bukhara Declaration" is expected, aimed at promoting the ideas of education and culture of tolerance, respect for national traditions of adherents of various religions and ensuring their rights.
– Can you tell us briefly about the format of this international forum?
A number of events will be held within the framework of the international forum. Three parallel scientific and thematic seminars will be held in Tashkent, during which it is planned to discuss issues of ensuring interfaith dialogue in a multinational society, strengthening the rule of law in ensuring freedom of religion, as well as creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between representatives of various religious denominations. 
At the same time, I want to focus your attention on the final and most important part of the forum "Dialogue of Declarations", which will be held on May 19-20 in Bukhara. The results of scientific and practical seminars will be summed up there, as well as an exchange of views on issues of ensuring freedom of religion and interreligious dialogue, prospects for further cooperation in this area will be outlined. The main outcome of the forum will be the adoption of the "Bukhara Declaration".
Within the framework of the forum, a study trip to Samarkand will also be organized for foreign participants.
– Shafoat Fayzullayevna, during our conversation you mentioned the "Bukhara Declaration" several times. Please tell me, what significance will this declaration have for strengthening mutual understanding and uniting the efforts of the international community to ensure religious freedoms in the world?
Everyone knows that Bukhara is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is located at the crossroads of several civilizations, religious communities, cultures and belief systems. Bukhara has also been the birthplace of outstanding scientists and ulama for thousands of years, graduates of Bukhara madrasahs have made an invaluable contribution to the development of Islamic theology, a significant intellectual potential of Islam has been created here.
With this in mind, the Forum participants will adopt a corresponding declaration in this city in order to call on the international community to pay even more attention to the expansion of interreligious dialogue as an essential condition for interethnic and civil harmony in all regions of the world.
The adopted "Bukhara Declaration" will be a logical continuation and addition to the declarations previously adopted in Marrakech (in 2016), Jakarta (2017), Potomac (2018), Punto del Este (2018), Mecca (2019) and an important contribution of Uzbekistan to the promotion of ideas of religious tolerance and interethnic harmony on a global scale. I would like to emphasize that the "Bukhara Declaration" develops and attaches even greater importance to the basic principles of the previous declarations. For example, their main ideas were: "protection of the rights of religious minorities", "religious education as the most important resource for countering violent extremism", "the importance of religious freedom as a universal human right", "human dignity, its connection with freedom of religion and belief", "equality of all people regardless of their religious and cultural differences as the basis of tolerance." At the same time, the Bukhara Declaration adopted at the upcoming forum as a leitmotif promotes the idea of the peaceful nature of religions, the importance of interreligious dialogue and tolerance, the importance of religious education as important factors in ensuring freedom of religion and mutual understanding between people.
In general, using the example of the upcoming international forum "Dialogue of Declarations", we can say with confidence that Uzbekistan is becoming the center of major creative events, the main purpose of which is to strengthen the culture of tolerance, ensuring peace and stability throughout the world.
We hope that the call of the participants of the forum "Dialogue of Declarations", aimed at ensuring freedom of religion, interreligious dialogue and interethnic harmony in society, affirming the ideas of tolerance, respect for the cultures and traditions of representatives of different nationalities and adherents of different religions, will support the world community.