An Uzbek delegation is visiting the City of Bonn until Friday, May 9, 2025. The visit is characterized by cultural dialogue and municipal cooperation. A special highlight was the Nawruz Festival on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Bonn's Old Town Hall. The Nawruz festival (Kurdish "newroz" - "the new day") is traditionally celebrated in Uzbekistan on 21 March and symbolizes the beginning of spring and the start of the new year. The city celebrated the event together with the Consulate General of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the German-Uzbek Society.
Around 120 guests took part - including Deputy Mayor Dr. Ursula Sautter, who welcomed the delegation on behalf of the City of Bonn, and Ulugbek Shukurov, Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The delegation from Bukhara included Abvar Karaev, advisor to the Hokimijat (Uzbek name for the regional administration) of the city of Bukhara and Chairman of the Bukhoroenergomarkaz (Bukhara Energy Supply Center), and Khushvakht Akramova, Chairwoman of the Bukhara Town Twinning Association. The festive get-together was rounded off by the traditional preparation of the Uzbek national dish "Plov" (originally an oriental rice dish), which was prepared on site by a cook from the Consulate General according to a traditional recipe.
The festival has been celebrated in Bonn since 2002 and symbolizes the close ties between the two cities. After a break due to the pandemic, it has been held in Bonn again since 2023. Presentations and discussions provided insights into the city of Bukhara and the diverse cooperation between Bonn, Bukhara and the German-Uzbek Society.
Visit in the spirit of dialog and cooperation
In addition to the cultural exchange, a particular focus of the visit will be on municipal issues relating to energy and heat supply. Representatives from Stadtwerke Bonn and Bonnorange will speak to the delegation in this context. The aim is to discuss solutions for sustainable municipal energy infrastructures and operational experience in waste and resource management.
The project partnership between Bonn and Bukhara has existed since 2003 and goes back to a declaration of intent at that time to establish friendly relations. Since then, both cities have implemented numerous projects relating to the environment, education, business, tourism and culture - often with the support of the German-Uzbek Society, which was founded in 1994 and plays a key role in promoting exchange between the two cities.
The basis for this and other international cooperation is the "Concept for International Contacts of the City of Bonn" from 1999, which focuses on Bonn's claim to be an international UN city and emphasizes the importance of partnership-based solutions in the face of global challenges such as climate change and sustainability.