During the event, the city administration was awarded a certificate awarding Samarkand the honorary title of the cultural capital of the Commonwealth, the press service of the CIS Executive Committee reports.

"The capital status was assigned to the city by the decision of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth. The program "Cultural Capitals of the Commonwealth" was launched in 2010 and the honorary status of one of the CIS cities is awarded annually. Last year, St. Petersburg was the cultural capital of the CIS," the message says.

The program "Samarkand - the cultural capital of the Commonwealth" will be conducted with the support of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS member states.

In accordance with the program and status, Samarkand in 2024 will be the main venue for creative meetings and tours of cultural and artistic figures of the CIS countries, performances by scientists and athletes, vernissages and exhibitions.

According to the press service, the event was attended by the representative of the Russian Federation to the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS member States, co-chairman of the Board of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS countries, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shviydkoi, Executive Director of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS member States Anatoly Iksanov, Minister of Culture of Uzbekistan Ozodbek Nazarbekov and other officials. It is also reported that a large concert of masters of arts from the CIS countries took place within the framework of the event.

For reference: Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded in the middle of the VIII century BC. For more than 2 thousand years it was one of the most important points on the Great Silk Road, the center of science and culture of the medieval East. The city reached its heyday in the XV-XVII centuries, when it was the capital of the Temurid state, during this period most of the almost 500 objects of material and cultural heritage were erected in Samarkand. In 2001, the historical center of the city was included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today Samarkand is an international center of tourism and business forums.

Video of the opening ceremony