Uzbekistan’s Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov proposed the co-organisation of an exhibition dedicated to Alexander the Great, as well as the co-production of a film about the Macedonian military leader and Roxana, during his three-day visit to Greece and his meeting with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

The meeting took place in a warm and constructive atmosphere, reaffirming the historical and cultural ties between the two countries, as well as their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation in the field of culture.

The discussions focused on the longstanding relationship between the Greek world and Central Asia, as well as the contribution of Greek diaspora communities to preserving historical memory and cultural heritage.

During the meeting, Lina Mendoni stressed that cooperation could be further expanded through exchanges of experts aimed at transferring know-how and best practices in the areas of cultural heritage protection, preservation, restoration, documentation and management.

Particular emphasis was placed on cooperation between museums, including the exchange of exhibitions and the organisation of joint thematic initiatives. From the Greek side, references were made to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, the Museum of Islamic Art of the Benaki Museum and the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu, while from the Uzbek side, the Museum of Applied Arts and the State Museum of History were highlighted.

Areas of common interest included the legacy of Alexander the Great in Central Asia and the spread of Greek art beyond the Mediterranean.

At the same time, the two sides discussed prospects for cooperation in the audiovisual sector and digital cultural applications, including the creation of virtual exhibitions and bilingual or multilingual digital archives.

The possibility of organising reciprocal cultural events was also examined, such as a Greek Cultural Week in Uzbekistan and an Uzbek Cultural Week in Greece, with the aim of promoting traditional music, gastronomy, folk art, literature and contemporary artistic creation.

The two ministers expressed satisfaction with the mutual support of Greece’s and Uzbekistan’s candidacies for the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2027-2031 period, reaffirming their intention to strengthen cooperation within international organisations as well.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, a Cooperation Programme in the fields of Education, Science and Culture for the 2026-2028 period was signed.

In the cultural sector, the agreement includes joint initiatives for the protection and management of cultural heritage, exchanges of archaeologists, conservation and restoration specialists, as well as ethnographers; the organisation of art and ethnographic exhibitions; cooperation in cinema and audiovisual productions; strengthening contacts between literary and publishing organisations; and collaboration in the fields of music, dance, theatre, folklore, visual arts and cultural routes.