His Excellency February 2017 Muzaffarbek A. Madrakhimov WHO WE ARE Permanent Representave to the The Office of Internaonal United Naons from Uzbekistan Affairs & Diplomacy acvely supports UVU’s global engage- ment efforts by advancing UVU’s presence and presge in Until his appointment as the from 1996 until 1998. the Internaonal community; helping UVU students become new Permanent Representative Mr. Madrakhimov holds a of Uzbekistan to the United globally competent graduates; master’s degree in transporta- promong cultural literacy and Nations, Mr. Madrakhimov tion management from Tash- served as Deputy Chief of Mis- diversity both on campus and in kent Automobile and Road the community. sion at his country’s Embassy Construction Institute, and a in Washington, D.C., since bachelor’s degree in interna- 2010. He was Executive As- tional relations from the Uni- sistant to the Minister for For- versity of World Economy and eign Affairs between 2007 and Diplomacy, both in Uzbeki- 2010. stan. CONTACT US Prior to that, he was First Sec- He was born in Tashkent in Office of Internaonal Affairs retary at Uzbekistan’s Embassy 1972, he is married and has LA111f in Tokyo, Japan, from 2004 to four children. 800 West University Parkway 2007, and headed the Secretari- at of the Foreign Ministry in MS 263 Orem, UT 84058 Tashkent from 2003 until 2004. He also held the posi- Phone: 801-863-7191 tions of Third and then Second E-mail: [email protected] Secretary in the Ministry’s De- www.uvu.edu/intlaffairs partment of European Coun- tries, between 2000 and 2003; Attaché in Washington, D.C., from 1998 to 2000; Assistant to the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Attaché in the Office of the Minister, both INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT Uzbekistan Once part of the Turkic Khaganate and THE FLAG OF later Timurid Empires, the region that Uzbekistan today includes the Republic of Uzbeki- stan was conquered in the early 16th century by Eastern Turkic-speaking no- mads. The area was gradually incorpo- rated into the Russian Empire during the 19th century, and in 1924 what is now Uzbekistan became a bordered constu- ent republic of the Soviet Union. About 80 percent of the country is flat The flag of Uzbekistan consists of desert, with mountain ranges rising in three horizontal blue, white and the far southeast and northeast. green bands separated by two thin red fimbriaons, with a crescent Islam is by far the dominant religion in moon and twelve stars at Uzbekistan, as Muslims constute 96% of the populaon while 2% of the popu- the canton. Adopted in 1991 to laon follow Russian Orthodox Chris- replace the flag of the Uzbek Soviet anity, and 2% of the populaon follow Socialist Republic (SSR), it has been other religions. the flag of the Republic of Uzbeki- During the golden age of the Samanids, stan since the country gained inde- Bukhara became a major intellectual Tashkent’s metro features chandeliers, pendence in that same year. The center of the Islamic world, second only marble pillars and ceilings, granite, and to Baghdad. The historic center of Bu- design of the present flag was part- engraved metal. It has been called one khara, which contain numerous of the most beauful train staons in ly inspired by the former one. mosques and madrassas, has been listed the world. by UNESCO as one of the World Herit- The white stands for peace and age Sites. purity, while blue repre- sents water and the sky. Uzbekistan is sll one of the largest ex- porters of coon, and the world's larg- est open-pit gold mine is at Muruntau in the Qizilqum desert. Uzbekistan’s signature dish is palov (plov or osh), a main course typically made with rice, pieces of meat, and hps://www.cia.gov ; en.wikipedia.org/ grated carrots and onions. The Silk and Spice Fesval takes place hp://travel.naonalgeographic.com/ travel/countries/uzbekistan-facts/ annually in the Great Silk Road city of Bukhara. .