Mayor of Tashkent met with management and players of Pakhtakor football club

During a visit to Uzbekistan, negotiations took place at the 'New Tashkent' Directorate between Saidkakhor Kholkhozhayev, the First Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, and a delegation from the China Manufacturers Association of Hong Kong (CMA).

The CMA delegation was headed by President Winko Lo. The meeting gathered representatives from several major Hong Kong companies and financial institutions operating in the sectors of industry, trade, finance, and modern technologies.

During the discussion, the foreign side presented the republic's investment potential, as well as existing tax and customs benefits, and methods of state assistance for foreign investors.

Significant attention was paid to the plans for building New Tashkent, creating modern infrastructure, erecting commercial buildings and service enterprises, as well as opportunities for relocating production to free economic zones.

Participants in the dialogue reviewed prospects for strengthening industrial cooperation, organizing the production of high value-added products, implementing advanced technologies, and establishing joint ventures. Based on the results of the meeting, specific areas for further detailed elaboration of joint investment projects were determined.

The Governor of Tashkent Region, Zoir Mirzaev, met with the CEO of Lasselsberger Group, Josef Lasselsberger, to discuss plans for investing in the production of building materials and establishing modern production facilities in the region.

According to the Tashkent Region administration, the negotiations focused on strengthening economic ties and launching new industrial initiatives based on the company's international experience and advanced technologies.

Special attention was paid to the effective use of local raw material resources. The parties exchanged views on promising directions and explored opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Lasselsberger Group is one of the leading European manufacturers of building materials. The company was founded in 1957 and currently has 62 branches in 26 countries.

A number of investment projects involving this company are being implemented in Uzbekistan, aimed at the production and processing of building materials. These projects cover not only the Tashkent Region but also the Samarkand and Kashkadarya regions.

The mural titled 'Uzbekistan and the Symbols of the Silk Road and Pottery Schools' was unveiled in the city of Tashkent. This work combines various ornaments from different regions of the country, as well as images related to the history of national ceramics.

The painting was placed opposite the Center for Islamic Civilization. The author of this piece is master Diyor Nazirov, who gathered artistic motifs and ornaments characteristic of many local pottery schools in the mural.

The opening ceremony included a lecture-tour led by art historian Takhmina Mahmudova. She explained that in Uzbek applied arts, ornaments are not merely decorative but also carry deep meaning. For instance, pitchers and amphorae symbolize fertility, prosperity, and water as a vital resource, while the pomegranate is often associated with abundance, although in some interpretations it may signify temptation or trial. Almond is also a common element in national ornamentation.

The mural includes not only historical and artistic elements; it depicts characters from the story of the mouse Nedo and Etya Opy, taken from the works of Kristina Kretova and Zilola Khamidova.

Discussion on the preservation of regional pottery schools

A separate topic of the meeting concerned the history of regional pottery schools. Participants discussed how this craft managed to survive in places such as Shahrisabz, Gizhduvan, Rishtan, and Fergana, despite changes in lifestyle and production processes. One reason was the remote location of these centers relative to large urban settlements. During the era of industrialization, factory production increased competition for local artisans' products, but in less developed and remote settlements, traditional production proved less vulnerable to this pressure.

Historical factors, such as the region's position at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road, the settled lifestyle of the population, and the military campaigns of Amir Timur, also influenced the development of pottery schools. Diyor Nazirov managed to bring together symbols and ornaments belonging to different eras and local characteristics in his mural, thus turning the wall into a kind of visual chronicle of Uzbek ceramics.

It is worth noting that a mural dedicated to space was previously installed in Tashkent. According to information from the Uzcosmos agency, this painting reflects humanity's interest in the Universe and everything beyond Earth.