INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF HUMAN FRATERNITY WIDELY CELEBRATED

In the context of today’s globalization and geopolitical conflicts, issues of interreligious dialogue, human fraternity, and social solidarity have become among the most important factors for international peace and sustainable development.

The fact that the United Nations has proclaimed the first week of February as World Interfaith Harmony Week and 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity underscores the global relevance of this agenda. The traditional week of scientific, cultural, and educational events organized by the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Study of World Religions and Religious Studies at the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, held under the motto “Human Fraternity and Interreligious Dialogue – A Factor of Peace and Stability,” took place from 3 to 6 February 2026 in Tashkent and the Bukhara region. The initiative brought together specialists in the religious and educational sphere as well as students from academic institutions, contributing to the promotion of religious tolerance and a culture of peace in the country.

Within the scientific track, an international scientific and practical seminar titled “Human Fraternity and Interreligious Dialogue – A Factor of International Solidarity” was convened with the participation of representatives from UNESCO, the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, religious studies experts, distinguished scholars, representatives of religious denominations, civil society organizations, researchers, and students of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan.

A student academic conference, “Guidance within Religious Teachings for the Advancement of Society,” was also held with participation from students of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, the Tashkent Islamic Institute, the Mir Arab Higher Madrasa, and the Tashkent Orthodox and Protestant seminaries. The conference was structured into thematic sections including:

• Human dignity in religious teachings
• Religious perspectives on ideas that threaten social stability
• The social significance of tolerance and interreligious dialogue
• The role of religious and educational values in the development of modern society

The cultural and educational programme featured a student social video competition titled “Healthy Faith and Unity – The Foundation of Human Fraternity,” an outreach session “Journey of Interreligious Friendship” to the Russian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and other religious organizations in the Bukhara region, as well as a “Friendship Table” event attended by representatives of various faith communities.

Recognizing that human fraternity is not merely an idea but a shared responsibility for the common future is essential. The broad promotion of universal values such as unity, harmony, and mutual understanding – which form the foundation of fraternity – plays a decisive role in strengthening the pillars of the Third Renaissance in New Uzbekistan, preserving the unity of the country’s multiethnic population, and safeguarding peace nationwide.