The Uzbekistan-Germany Friendship Society, being a non-governmental public association, was also established with purposed to promote cultural and enlightenment ties between people of Uzbekistan and Germany. The Society’s Executive Director Galina Astashova told UT reporter about activities of the association.

- The primary tasks of the Society is to assist advancing of Uzbekistan‘s comprehensive and objective image in Germany as a sovereign, democratic and legal state, an active partner in cultural, scientific and commercial interaction; cooperation with governmental and other organizations in conducting permanent informational scientific and cultural exchanges as well as enhancement of friendly and cultural-enlightenment ties between Uzbekistan and Germany.

The society organises and holds conferences, symposiums and various events in order to set up informational-reference stocks and data bases about Uzbekistan, exchange views on cultural-enlightenment issues, make the German people acquaint with the Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, its achievements in arts, science and education. We provide assistance in organizing fine arts’ works and amateur and folk arts exhibitions, photo-exhibitions, combined events devoted to   Uzbekistan and Germany. The Society actively involves cultural workers and scientists, veterans, representatives of women and youth organizations, public figures in activities aimed at spread of both Uzbek and German peoples’ national cultures and traditions.

- The permanent contacts and mutual exchange of delegations have been established within the framework of cooperation between two societies. Thanks to these visits the peoples of two countries know each other better. In its turn, this promotes further enhancement of the bilateral relations.

The Uzbekistan-Germany Friendship Society organized and received delegations of European Parliament, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, representatives of City of Bonn in Uzbekistan.

When arranging visits to Germany all requests from participants are taken into account: meetings with their German colleagues in one or another area are organized for each of them. As an outcome of those meetings, new contacts are established in order to strengthen the relations, and perhaps, to conclude new contracts aimed at drafting economic and other projects. For instance, visit of a group of Uzbekistan’s businesswomen to Germany was organized, which created opportunities for exchanging experiences and improving knowledge in appropriate spheres.

In order to obtain more information, to get familiar with their German counterparts’ mode of life, work and rest, members of the delegations usually live in German families. 

For example, two English and Oriental seminars were held for members of delegations at the Bonn University. The visit to the Asian Editorial Office of Deutsche Welle was organized for telecommunications’ workers, where they exchanged views on the women’s role and place the in public and political life both in Germany and Uzbekistan.  During the meeting at the Federal Ministry for Joint Work (BMZ) the German side had opportunity to get familiar with possibilities created in Uzbekistan for development of small and medium businesses. At the Ministry of Healthcare the Uzbek physicians exchanged views on AIDS problem and got acquaint with the Germany’s experience.

These meetings have become a basis for future contacts with foreign colleagues in order to exchange experience and supporting initiatives set forward by businesswomen of Uzbekistan.

- The reciprocal visit to Uzbekistan was paid by the representatives of the International Women Center, experts from various branches of economy: teachers, physicians, ecologists, designers. They had meetings at Oliy Majlis, City Administration of Tashkent, the Kundala Medical Center, Business Center, the Khamsa Public Cultural Center. The delegation attended a fashion show in the specialized women’s college, where the German dual system of education is currently being introduced.

Just recently in autumn 2007 a number of members of the German-Uzbek society visited Uzbekistan/ The trips to Uzbekistan’s historical cities and towns - Tashkent, Termez, Samarkand, Bukhara, Shakhrizabz, Khiva were included in their visit program.    

In October 2007 the society rendered assistance in organizing the visit to Uzbekistan of representatives of the Ministry for Caucasus and Central Asia Cooperation of the City of Bonn. The initial purpose of their visit was to establish scientific ties with Uzbekistan’s young scientists. Besides the official meetings, the guests called on the Academic Lyceum of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Barak-Khan Madrasah, the library where the original of Osman’s Koran is kept as well as got acquaint with cultural and historical sightseeing places.

During the visit of the Uzbek delegation to Germany the parties had discussion on issues of further cooperation, particularly, about invitation of young scientists from Uzbekistan to get familiar with activities of their German counterparts.

- The Uzbekistan-Germany Friendship Society has set as one of its main goals a contributing to support of the creative youth of Uzbekistan. The Society has launched this activity in 2000 by establishing the exchange between the Uzbek and German pupils and students. Further, the exchange of delegations was developed in accordance with their professional interests. The quizzes “What do you know about Uzbekistan?” and “What do you know about Germany” are conducted regularly. For example, at the threshold of celebration of Nauruz, the winner of the quiz “What do you know about Uzbekistan?” was rewarded with the visit to Uzbekistan free of charge. The visit to Germany of the musical bands “Silk Road” from Bukhara and “Barocco”, young musicians of Uspensky Musical School was organized. 

The Society holds cultural events devoted to the Uzbekistan’s holidays: Independence Day, Nauruz, Germany Unification Day, Christmas. Representatives of German cultural centers, companies and organizations, the German Embassy in Tashkent are invited to take part in the events.

In this context a number of the cultural events held last year in Tashkent are to be mentioned. In February 2007 the roundtable “Globalization and inter-cultural dialogue” was held in the Academy of State and Public Construction under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The discussion held in friendly atmosphere attracting a great interest from participants. They considered the issues of the culture and arts in Uzbekistan.

The workshop devoted to celebration of Nauruz was conducted at the Applied Arts Museum in March 2007 with participation of representatives of the German Embassy in Tashkent, German cultural organizations and companies in order to get better knowledge about the folk arts of Uzbekistan.

In the framework of the Uzbekistan-Germany Friendship Society early planned events the seminar-training was organized in July 2007 on: “Legislation regulating women’s rights in Uzbekistan”. This was a second workshop conducted, aimed at increase of the legal literacy of the population. I am glad that this is becoming one of permanent aspects of the Uzbek-German society’s activity.

Experts of the Uzbekistan’s Women Lawyers Public Association are involved in the events. During the two working days women had an opportunity to get familiar with the new Family Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, international legislation protecting women’s rights (declarations, conventions, etc.). The new interactive methods are implemented at the seminars. Participants of the events expressed great interest to continue series of such seminars. The next workshop’s theme was determined as “Image of Businesswoman”, which will be held in association with German women.

- Today the Uzbek-German society carries out its activity at the following directions: popularization of Uzbekistan and Germany’s cultural traditions, customs; celebration of their national holidays; support of regular cultural exchange with partners from Germany. The Society plans to hold workshops on various topics, like, for instance, “Woman’s role in family and society”, “Woman’s role in socio-political life of society”.

In this Year of Youth we plan to invite the well-known German conductor, Professor H.Dorsch, to organize concerts and master-class together with the Uzbekistan’s youth orchestra headed by Professor Neiman; we are going to continue school and student exchanges in education, thus promoting increase of country-specific and language knowledge. In 2008 the activity on the Project “Alternative Energy Sources in Uzbekistan” is planned as well as exploring the possibility of manufacturing of solar facilities in Uzbekistan with support of the Uzbek-German society.

In perspective, in 2009 the Society plans holding an international conference in Samarkand and Bukhara in association with German partners, devoted to the great scholar and statesman Mirzo Ulugbek.

In 2010 we expect to hold exhibition of an Uzbek artist in Germany, participation of an Uzbek youth orchestra at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn.

The Uzbekistan-Germany Friendship Society is in permanent search for new partners in areas of science, culture, arts, education and business. This is vital for further development of market economy relations in the country; therefore the Society is determined to work with the business circles of Uzbekistan and Germany. At the same time we will maintain traditional ties in cultural and scientific spheres of cooperation.