Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with information about the work carried out in the spiritual and educational sphere.

The main priority of transformations in multinational Uzbekistan is the comprehensive protection of the rights and freedoms of all its citizens. And one of the inalienable rights is freedom of religion. Therefore, in our country all conditions are created so that believers can perform rituals and observe religious traditions.

It is worth emphasizing that the policy of New Uzbekistan in this area is receiving great recognition not only among our people, but also among the international community.

Thus, if in the first years of Uzbekistan’s independence the number of compatriots awarded the holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina could be counted on one hand, then these days more than 15 thousand Uzbek citizens perform the sacred rite.

The congratulations of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to our people on the holiday of Kurban Hayit, his conversation with the Chairman of the Muslim Board Mufti Sheikh Nuriddin Khaliknazar about the pilgrimage of our compatriots became one of the bright pages of the Hajj season this year.

In a short period of time, a comprehensive system for training qualified personnel in the religious and educational sphere was created in Uzbekistan. In order to study and popularize the rich scientific heritage of our scientists, research centers began to operate. Examples of this are the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, the Mir Arab Higher Madrasah, the School of Hadith Studies, and the international research centers of Imam Bukhari, Imam Termizi, and Imam Moturidi. A large-scale renovation and improvement of the Imam Bukhari memorial complex is underway.

During today’s meeting, the need for wider study and promotion of the works of these great thinkers among the population, especially among young people, was especially emphasized. Because they contain the true meaning of Islam, the educational ideas of the Muslim religion. And this is especially relevant right now, in our turbulent times, when all over the world various forces are trying to distort the essence of religion and lead young people astray from the true path.

The important role in this work was also noted for those who are now making pilgrimage to holy Mecca. Recently, pilgrims made an appeal where they expressed their readiness to make their contribution in the spiritual education of the younger generation in their areas, in their mahallas.

Also at the meeting, the head of state emphasized that the Center for Islamic Civilization should play an important role in these processes, whose activities will serve to broadly familiarize our people and foreign guests with the priceless heritage of our ancestors and promote the ideas of enlightened Islam.

Currently, historians and theologians are working to fill the center’s activities with new content.

Information about future plans for the center’s activities was heard.