ALISHER NAVOI AND THE 21ST CENTURY
The great poet and thinker Alisher Navoi holds a special place in world civilization, especially in the cultural and spiritual development of Turkic-speaking peoples, as a major figure in the Eastern Renaissance. Through his works, Navoi advocated for spiritual purity, patriotism, and enlightenment, leaving a profound literary, philosophical, and scholarly legacy for future generations.
For the past eight years, Alisher Navoi Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature has organized an annual international scientific-practical conference titled Alisher Navoi and the 21st Century. This year, for the first time, the conference is being held abroad—in Azerbaijan—in cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and the Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature. Scholars from over ten countries, including the United States, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, and Tajikistan, have come together to share their research on Navoi’s contributions to literature, history, and linguistics.
Speakers at the conference highlighted Uzbekistan’s current policies that prioritize spiritual development and its dedication to literature and the arts. Esteemed guests included the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Isa Habibbayli; Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov; the Director of the Heydar Aliyev Azerbaijani Culture Center in Uzbekistan; and First Secretary of the Azerbaijani Embassy, Samir Abbasov.
A defining feature of this conference is the growing international significance of celebrating Navoi’s legacy. This year, the Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature established the Alisher Navoi Medal, an award to be presented to scholars, researchers, and cultural advocates promoting Uzbek language, literature, and culture globally.
The conference featured discussions on the universal relevance of Navoi’s literary legacy, the translation of his works into foreign languages, textual studies of his writings, and challenges in teaching Navoi’s works in the educational system. This event not only honors Navoi’s contributions but also extends his influence into the global cultural landscape.
