For more than twenty-five years, I have worked to build cultural bridges between Uzbekistan and the wider world. As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, a translator of Uzbek literature, and the founder of Suhbat LLC, I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to introducing Uzbek voices to English-speaking audiences. In 2019, that work
One of the highlights of the departing year for Marat Akhmedjanov, the founder of the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, was his participation in the official launch and inaugural forum of Eurasia Policy Council in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in November. Hertfordshire Press is the only British publishing house dedicated
On December 20, the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan hosted its annual open-air Christmas Book Fair, which for the third year in a row delighted residents and guests of Ashgabat. The event took place in the front yard of the Delegation and brought together the local community to celebrate books, culture, sustainability, and
Hertfordshire Press, the UK’s leading publisher dedicated to translated literature from the post-Soviet space, announces the release of Imprisoned Souls: Poems of Uyghur Prisoners in China, a powerful new anthology translated and compiled by acclaimed Uyghur poet, scholar, and human rights advocate Aziz Isa Elkun. At a moment when Uyghur cultural expression faces systematic erasure,
An event dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the prominent Uzbek art collector Igor Savitsky took place in London on December 16. Organized by the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly 20 years, the event was attended by
On December 16, London hosted an event commemorating the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov. Organized by the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly twenty years, the event was attended by over 80 guests from England, Kyrgyzstan, Scotland, Australia,
On December 16 in London, the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press organized an international event dedicated to Kazakhstan’s Independence Day and the 180th anniversary of Abai Qunanbaiuly’s birth. More than 80 guests from around the world, from the UK to Australia, participated, expressing their support for Kazakh culture. Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating
The cover story of the latest issue of OCA Magazine’s special edition, OCA People, features Mariiam Tobokelova, an outstanding Kyrgyz musician and komuz player, and a veteran member of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London). OCA Magazine is a quarterly magazine published in London since 2009 by Silk Road Media Group with the support of the Eurasian Creative Guild. After
Great Britain’s Kurash wrestlers produced some fine performances at the Paris International Tournament, achieving a gold and a bronze medal. This prestigious event, held in honour of the birthday of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took place under the embracing shadow of the historic Eiffel Tower. The iconic tower was beautifully lit for the
The 5th Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art festival transformed the popular Kazakh resort of Burabay into a key cultural hotspot in Eurasia. From November 29 to December 2, the festival brought together more than 70 authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and intellectuals from 20 countries, serving as a platform for international dialogue and creative exchange.
The fifth anniversary Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art festival transformed Kazakhstan’s Burabay resort into a vibrant creative center of Eurasia. From November 29 to December 2, authors, artists, musicians, and filmmakers from 20 countries shared their work, made new connections, and inspired each other to embrace bold ideas. The Cinema Future youth film festival
The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) has declared the historical city of Andijan in Uzbekistan the ‘Cultural Capital of the Turkic World’ for 2026. Andijan has taken over the prestigious title from the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, which held the title throughout 2025. TÜRKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev stated: “Aktau has brought together the
The 5th anniversary festival Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art will take place between November 29 and December 2 in Kazakhstan’s Burabay resort. Organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), the festival annually brings together poets, artists, photographers, filmmakers, and creators from all over Eurasian continent. This year, more than 50 participants from 15 countries,
Moscow and Bishkek have reaffirmed allied relations and strategic partnership during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Kyrgyzstan on November 26. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov welcomed the Russian leader saying that Russia has been and remains a strategic ally of Kyrgyzstan, its reliable partner and true friend. According to Japarov, Russia remains one of Kyrgyzstan’s main trading partners, accounting for 22% of
On November 13, London’s Shaw Theatre welcomed the Kazakh company The Arts Stage, presenting The Black Cloak, based on Georgy Khugaev’s play and directed by Askhat Mayemirov. The performance became one of the standout events of the autumn theatre season, reminding us that profound theatre does not need loud effects to feel contemporary. The play
The Digital Autumn immersive art festival is taking place from November 13th to 20th at the Almaty Creative Hub, bringing together the best examples of digital art and virtual reality from France. This year’s festival highlight is the premiere of the AR (Augmented Reality) fresco “La Forêt qui fait peur” (The Scary Forest), created under
Based on international studies, researchers have concluded that Samarkand’s history spans at least 3,000 years. The previously recognized age of the city—2,750 years—has been revised, and the official age of Samarkand has now been recognized as 3,000 years. This was announced at the international conference titled “Samarkand: A 3000-Year Legacy” held as part of the
From 7 to 9 November in Tashkent and on 12 November in Termez, the 10th European Film Festival will take place—an event that brings Europe and Uzbekistan together through the language of cinema. This year, the festival marks the 10th anniversary of cultural dialogue between Europe and Uzbekistan, according to the Delegation of the European
On October 30, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the opening ceremony of the 43rd session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), held in the city of Samarkand. Mirziyoyev expressed deep gratitude to President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini, UNESCO
In the United Kingdom, Israeli writer Boris Guberman has released a new book titled SOCIO-ECONOMIC FORMATIONS AND ASSOCIATED MARKETS / КОНЦЕПЦИЯ: ОБЩЕСТВЕННО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЕ ФОРМАЦИИ И СОПУТСТВУЮЩИЕ ИМ РЫНКИ. The book was published in a bilingual format, with both Russian and English versions under one cover. At the core of the work lies the author’s original perspective
