Bani Dugal, the Bahá'í International Community’s Principal Representative to the United Nations, participated in an international scientific and practical conference on the theme of Uzbekistan: A Tolerant Country, set during Uzbekistan’s annual celebrations of “Tolerance Week” commemorating the 16 November International Day for Tolerance. Focusing on promoting religious tolerance and societal harmony, the conference brought together local and international experts, government officials, and religious leaders, who together discussed the promotion of peace, mutual understanding and the need to preserve the true values taught by all religions. 

In remarks to the conference, Ms. Dugal spoke about Uzbekistan’s rich history of diverse ethnic communities, describing how its “unique blending” of many cultural dimensions over history resulted in “the weaving of a beautiful tapestry that reflects the wholeness of the nation.”

Ms. Dugal added that diverse communities across Uzbekistan have, in many ways, “gone one step further beyond tolerating one another,” to actively working to promote co-existence and cohesion. In an increasingly chaotic world, she said,  “a profound source of hope for countless individuals and communities is their faith, a faith that articulates a hopeful vision for the type of world we wish to bring about” for future generations

“In recent years, the Uzbek government has actively promoted tolerance through legislation and policy, aimed at ensuring religious freedom and social unity,” Ms Dugal said, after the conference. “The political will to build harmonious communities is based on justice and unity,” she said, adding that “this is one of the pre-requisites for building a peaceful world.”

“This effort to build unity and collaboration points toward a broader trend emerging in Uzbekistan: a constantly evolving society where faith communities contribute their spiritual resources to the common good, working alongside secular institutions to build a more just, harmonious, and prosperous country,” Ms. Dugal said.

“These are early steps, but they mark a vital transition from viewing religion as something to be managed, to recognizing it as an essential partner in society’s renewal.”

The BIC’s Principal Representative also expressed the hope that Uzbekistan’s efforts to articulate shared values—rooted in the oneness of humanity—will continue to advance and inspire broader dialogue beyond the country’s borders.