Ушбу мактубда халқаро ижодий жамоа ва фаоллар Ўзбекистон ҳукуматининг маданият ва адабиёт ривожига қаратилган саъй-ҳаракатларини мамнуният билан қўллаб-қувватлашга тайёрлигини ёзишаркан, айни пайтда мамлакат эркин ижодий муҳитни ривожлантириш ва миллий адабиёт ва санъатни халқаро майдонда муносиб танита олмаётгани борасида жиддий ташвиш билдиришган ҳамда мустақил адабий ташаббусларни қўллаб-қувватлаш жуда муҳимлигини урғулашган.
“UzLAB дастурларида иштирок этган ижодкорлар ўз тажрибаларини дунё билан Ўзбекистон ҳақида мақолалар, шеърлар ва китоблар ёзиш орқали бўлишиб, мамлакат адабиёти, маданияти, тарихи ва меҳмондўстлиги, унинг бой меросига бўлган халқаро эътиборни сезиларли даражада оширишга ҳисса қўшдилар. Бироқ, тегишли инфратузилма ва молиявий ресурсларсиз бу саъй-ҳаракатлар хавф остида қолмоқда”, деб ёзишмоқда улар.
Dear Mr. President and Esteemed Officials,
We, the undersigned poets, writers, translators, artists, and cultural workers, including members of Poets of the Planet (POP) and international organizations, write to express our support for Uzbekistan’s creative community and urge meaningful change in the country’s cultural and intellectual landscape.
For years, we have collaborated with Uzbek creatives to promote the country’s rich heritage and foster international connections through literature and the arts. Independent initiatives like the UzLAB International Creative Residency, led by Azam Abidov—a renowned poet and translator of Alisher Navoiy—have brought over 100 international artists to Uzbekistan, showcasing its literary legacy. However, these efforts face significant challenges due to a lack of institutional support and financial backing.
We believe that offering tax reductions or incentives to businesses and philanthropists could encourage more individuals and organizations to support these initiatives. Furthermore, financial support from the government would help sustain and expand these efforts, ensuring that they continue to thrive and make a lasting impact on both Uzbekistan and the international creative community.
The people who have participated in UzLAB’s programs have shared their experiences globally through articles, poems, and books about Uzbekistan’s culture, history, and hospitality, significantly enriching global appreciation for the country’s heritage. However, these efforts are at risk without a supportive infrastructure and financial resources.
While Uzbekistan has made strides in promoting its literary works domestically, there is an urgent need to promote Uzbek authors internationally. The world knows too little about Uzbekistan’s literary giants like Alisher Navoiy, the father of Uzbek literature. Promoting such authors abroad would further highlight Uzbekistan’s cultural wealth.
We also recognize the Uzbekistan Writers’ Union’s efforts but are concerned by its inability to support independent projects or free cultural expression. For example, the cancellation of the first-ever Silk Road International Literature Festival illustrates the limitations preventing Uzbekistan from becoming a true cultural hub.
Furthermore, Uzbekistan lacks official annual literary and poetry festivals, open residencies, public literary forums, and a PEN Uzbekistan that can represent the country’s creative community on the global stage. No city in Uzbekistan is currently recognized as a UNESCO City of Literature, a designation that could significantly elevate the country’s global cultural standing. Supporting initiatives like UzLAB would help pave the way for this recognition.
It is clear that Uzbekistan needs a free and open environment where creativity can thrive. We are not seeking government control over our initiatives but rather your endorsement and financial support for these independent efforts. By fostering a supportive environment for cultural exchange, Uzbekistan has the potential to become a beacon of creativity and intellectual innovation in Central Asia.
We call upon our international colleagues from UNESCO, PEN International, the Prince Claus Fund, and other cultural organizations to join us in supporting these efforts.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We hope this letter opens the door for a fruitful dialogue on Uzbekistan’s cultural future.
With great respect,
�Poets of the Planet (POP),�Poets, Writers, Translators, Artists, Cultural Workers, and Representatives of Other International Literary and Cultural Organizations�
Names of Signatories and Countries
Francis Combes, Coordination, Poets of the Planet, poet and publisher, France��Claus Ankersen, Chairman of Danish Authors of Fiction and Poetry, Denmark��Anna Lombardo, poet, translator, cultural activist, Festival Director, Venice/Italy
Barbara Pogacnik, poet, translator, literary critic, Director of Author’s Society, Slovenia
Agneta Folk, poet, Festival Director, USA/Sweden��Satchidanandan K, poet, playwright, critic, India��Ron Riddell, poet, writer, Colombia/New Zealand��Ayo Ayoola-Amale, author, Director of Splendors of Dawn Poetry Foundation, Nigeria
Elisa Rueda, poet, Director of the International Poetry Festival in Vitoria, Spain
Marta Eloy Cichocka, poet and member of the Association of Polish Literary Translators, Poland
Les Wicks, poet, publisher, Australia��Shakhawat Tipu, poet, essayist, Bangladesh��Sonja Manoilovic, poet and translator, Croatia
Alexis Bernaut, poet, musician, France��Alvaro Mata Guille, poet, Costa Rica��Yusuke Miyake, poet, translator, Japan
Tarik Gunersel, poet and playwright, Turkiye
�Sándor Halmosi, poet, translator, Hungary
Bengt Berg, poet, publisher, Sweden
Neshe Yashin, poet, writer, International Literature Festival Director, Cypress
Michael Augustin, poet, drama writer, Germany
Lana Derkac, poet, translator, Croatia
Evgenii M’Art, poet, translator, Russia
Jose Muchnik, poet, anthropologist, Argentina
Sujata Bhatt, poet, Germany
Reshma Ramesh, poet, international festival curator, India
Yasuhiro Yotsumoto, poet, Japan
Hussein Habash, poet, translator, Kurdistan/Germany
Mark Macleod, poet, playwright, Tasmania, Australia
Mesut Senol, poet and translator, Turkiye
Mawar Marzuki, poet, writer, translator, Malaysia
Jami Proctor Xu, poet, translator, international poetry event curator, USA/China
Theodore Elssaca, poet and Director of Literary Foundation, Chile
Alexandra Nicod, poet, playwright, Switzerland
Christie Williamson, poet, Scotland
Sotirios Pastakas, poet, Greece
Alexandar Nicod, poet, Switzerland
Nigar Hasan-zade, Azerbaijan
