The government of Uzbekistan has announced plans to allocate over 1 trillion soums for the development of the culture sector by 2030. This was revealed during a presentation of new cultural projects held in the presence of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Thursday. The head of state emphasized that this investment is a crucial step in preserving, developing, and adapting the country's cultural heritage to modern demands.

A key project under the plan is the construction of a new Silk Road museum in Samarkand on a 9-hectare site, which will house over 6,000 unique exhibits, including archaeological materials, fine and applied art works. The museum is planned to feature spaces for permanent and temporary exhibitions, a 160-seat auditorium, a children's academy, a conservation and research center, and large storage facilities. This initiative aims not only to safeguard cultural heritage but also to boost tourism.

As part of modernizing the cultural sphere, proposals were made to gradually transform 839 cultural centers across the republic, giving their buildings a contemporary look, involving the private sector to enhance their appeal. Additionally, an important task was set to identify talented youth in the arts early, provide targeted training from primary school levels, and create suitable conditions for living and creativity at educational institutions.

The president approved proposals to support the activities of the Andijan Youth Symphony Orchestra and the "Tumor" dance ensemble, and stressed the need to expand national content in the media space and systematically increase the national culture database through judicious use of artificial intelligence capabilities. A system will be introduced for preferential lending to launch non-governmental cultural organizations, state support for non-state theaters and theater studios, and grants for project implementation.

Source: www.gazeta.uz