Official visit of Mr. Martin Davidson, Chairman and Executive Director of the British Council, to Uzbekistan

26-29 October 2008

From 26 to 29 October 2008 Mr. Martin Davidson, Chairman and Executive Director of the British Council, paid an official visit to Uzbekistan. During his stay, there were organized meetings with Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Dr. Rustam Kasymov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Vladimir Norov, Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education Mr. Azimjon Parpiev and Minister of Public Education Mr. Gairat Shoumarov. A wide spectrum of issues related to the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in education, science and culture were discussed.

Along with this, Mr. M.Davidson had a meeting with Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Fund “Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan” Dr. Gulnara Karimova in the National Arts Centre in Tashkent. The sides signed Memorandum of Understanding which envisages further deepening of bilateral cooperation in educational and cultural areas in 2008 - 2011.

The collaboration between the Fund Forum and the British Council lasts for several years. Among their most significant joint projects are the following:

• Participation of Uzbekistan in international project “New Silk Road and the Fashion Fringe” aimed at developing of cooperation of young designers and promote cultures of the Silk Road countries and Great Britain, which took place in 2007;
• Number of cultural events in the framework of large-scale exhibition “Colours of the Silk Road: Embroidery Suzanis from Uzbekistan” organized in the Burrell Collection Museum in Glasgow (Scotland) from June 2008 to January 2009;
• Participation of Uzbek ensemble of national music instruments “Ofarin” in the Festival of Asian Culture “Mela” in Glasgow on 20-22 June 2008;
• Photo exhibition “Uzbekistan - in the Eyes of Children” at the Royal College of Art in London, 3-7 October 2008.

In addition, the British Council supports the Center of Youth Initiatives “Kelazhak Ovozi” that functions under the Fund “Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan”. The British Council invites experts to conduct master classes and seminars, provides literature to the Resource center and supports the Language center Lingvo.Master.uz.

The British Council successfully carries out its activities in Uzbekistan for 12 years with the support of the Government of our country. Mr. Davidson said that the British Council is actively working with a number of educational institutions in various areas of cooperation and will further facilitate bilateral contacts and joint projects between universities of two countries.

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