RESTORATION OF THE HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS OF BUKHARA IN THE EARLY YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE AND THEIR ROLE IN TOURISM AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Abstract

This article analyzes the initial political, social, and organizational measures
implemented in Uzbekistan during the early years of independence to preserve architectural and
cultural heritage and involve it in the development of tourism. The study examines factors such as
the establishment of the national company “O‘zbekturizm,” state and public initiatives for the
restoration of historical monuments, and the inclusion of the historical center of Bukhara in the
UNESCO World Heritage List, which are assessed as important stages in forming the institutional
and legal foundations of tourism development in the country. It also highlights the growing
participation of local communities, visits of international delegations, and the transformation of cultural heritage into a tool of “cultural diplomacy,” revealing its significance in strengthening
Uzbekistan’s national identity and its position in the international arena through historical
monuments.