Uzbekistan's Samarkand Readies to Welcome SCO Leaders, Showcasing Rich Culture & History

Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) member nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, will gather in Uzbekistan on September 15-16, while also getting acquainted with the host country’s rich heritage and traditions.

The streets of Samarkand are almost traffic-free on Wednesday morning. Even though the majority of delegations arriving for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit won’t be here until Thursday, police have already cordoned off many local landmarks, but one of them – Registan Square, which is home to an architectural ensemble of 15th-17th century mosques and madrassas, is still overflowing with tourists^.

Samarkand’s economy depends largely on tourism, and one can see that the city, the third largest in Uzbekistan, is pretty much free of "sanction wars" typical for Europe and the US nowadays. Russian visitors, who are being banned from European nations, which recently introduced travel restrictions for them, are welcome here, and so are those from China, Europe, and the US.

Uzbekistan, and Samarkand in particular, combine rich local, Russian, and Chinese cultures. From the square with its Confucius statue, one can see the top of the Russian Orthodox St. Alexis Cathedral, and in the square itself, Uzbek kids are practicing a Chinese dance routine which will be performed for Shanghai Cooperation Organization delegations.

Chinese influence can also be seen at the Great Silk Road exhibition in the center of Samarkand, with traditional arts and crafts on display. A replica of a Terracotta warrior, which was donated by the Chinese delegation, is here alongside a collection of 19th century porcelain dishes and a big magical mulberry tree.

“As you know, Samarkand and Uzbekistan were in the middle of the Great Silk Road, and at present time also we can see that our country plays a great role in the connection of the countries, in the connection of people,” says Javoxirxon Nazrullayev, who guided me through the exhibition. “So, that’s why it’s very important for us to show all the beauty of the past.”

Samarkand is also unique for its religious traditions. It's rare to find a place where Jews, Orthodox Christians, and Muslims can come to pray, but this city has such a location – the Tomb of the Old Testament Prophet Daniel, also known as Daniiel, or Doniyar, located in the residential neighborhood of Afrosiab. Daniel was born in 603 BC in Jerusalem and is known as a great prophet. The landmark is visited by thousands of tourists annually.

Being as diverse as the SCO itself, Samarkand seems to be a perfect place for top level talks, with leaders of member nations already arriving and meeting with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, focusing on political, economic, and security cooperation. They were later joined by India and Pakistan.

The big news, which is expected to come out of this year’s SCO summit, is the acceptance of Iran as a full-time member, with Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia joining the organization as dialogue partners. A trilateral Russia-China-Mongolia leaders’ meeting is also expected to be held in Samarkand. The organizers plan to focus on accelerating cooperation with Afghanistan, which is seen by Uzbekistan and other organization members as an integral part of the bigger SCO environment.

The leaders of SCO nations will hold talks in Samarkand on September 15-16.