INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF PEACE AND SOLIDARITY INTRODUCTION The Republic of Uzbekistan, which proclaimed its independence in 1991, could be said to be opening up to the world afresh... This "grizzled" but bountiful land, which since ancient times has attracted the attention of eminent travellers, generals, merchants and thinkers, is today rightly regarded as a conservation area, a true open-air museum, where ancient and modern history interweave harmoniously in a multicoloured mosaic. This landscape has seen pass not only the cavalry of the Persian Shahs, Alexander the Great's phalanxes and Genghis Khan's hordes but also the caravans of the Great Silk Road. Here ruled the great Amir Timur; here shone the wisdom of Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna), Beruni, Farabi, Al-Khorezmi, Rudaki, Firdousi, Khayyam, Ulughbek, Navoi, Babur and many other major Eastern scholars and thinkers. One of the greatest repositories of the immensely rich historical and cultural heritage of past ages is Samarkand. In its time it has been called the "Eden of the East", the "Face of the Earth", the "Focus of the universe's wisdom and beauty". Indeed, the architecture of Samarkand - the Gur-Emir mausoleum, the Registan ensemble, the Shahi-Zinda necropolis, the Bibi-Khanym mosque, etc - cannot fail to seize the imagination. The city is 2750 years old, but still today the thrusting, radiant minarets and blue cupolas of the mausoleums, mosques and madrasas bequeathed to us by the gifted masters of mediaeval times sparkle with light. A city of immensely rich cultural traditions and extensive links to the rest of the world, Samarkand invariably attracts an unending flow of visitors from around the globe. It can hardly be thought a coincidence, therefore, that it was here in Samarkand that the first International Museum of Peace and Solidarity in the former USSR came into existence. An ancient Chinese proverb says: "If you think a year ahead, plant rice; if you think ten years ahead, plant trees; but if you think a hundred years ahead, educate the people". Following this wise advice, the activists at the Museum began to acquaint visitors with universal human values and with the world-wide problems of civilization that can only be solved by the joint efforts and solidarity of all the inhabitants of the Earth. HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM'S FOUNDATION It all began, actually, with ... the international language Esperanto. In 1977 we initiated the launch of the "Esperanto" International Friendship Club, which subsequently became one of the most active in the country. We began an international correspondence in Esperanto, made friends in many countries and, using what Esperantists sent us, began to organize a variety of exhibitions on different subjects, including a cycle of international exhibitions entitled "Peace - the Hope for the Planet", which were successfully staged in Samarkand, Tashkent, and in a series of cities in Russia. Over time, the materials we were sent - posters, drawings, books, postcards, documents and so forth - grew into the "Esperanto" club's collection and became the foundation of the future International Museum of Peace and Solidarity opened by the Esperantists of Samarkand on 31 December 1986 to mark the International Year of Peace. In 1989, by decision of the board of the Uzbekistan Ministry of Culture, the Museum was awarded the honoured designation of "People's Museum". It took as its motto some words by the great Uzbek poet and humanist Alisher Navoi, who issued the challenge five centuries ago: "Mind, ye peoples of the Earth, Enmity is an evil state. Live in friendship, one and all - Man can have no kinder fate." MISSION AND OBJECTIVES The Samarkand Museum of Peace and Solidarity is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to universal human values, whose objectives are: · to strengthen peace and mutual understanding among peoples by means of citizen diplomacy, art and artistic creation; · to deepen public awareness and understanding of global challenges, and to cultivate a sense of personal responsibility for coping with the world-wide problems on which the future of the world and the survival of our descendants depend; · to demonstrate the multicultural diversity of the human race, fresh visions of a better future, and the need for world-wide solidarity. As the offspring of citizen diplomacy and a sui generis peace-making centre for international information communications, the Museum stages a wide range of educational programmes, international projects and art exhibitions, and also has a permanent collection. COLLECTION The Museum's assets have been amassed chiefly out of materials received as a result of correspondence: materials reflecting practically all the problems facing mankind which are referred to as global, primarily survival, disarmament, human rights, development, environmental protection, healthy living and so forth. The Museum's collection includes over 20,000 exhibits from over 100 countries on all five continents. There are posters, leaflets, drawings, paintings, tapestries, flags, pennants, photographs, documents, books, newspapers, magazines, badges, medals, postage stamps, slides, video films, audio cassettes, compact discs, gramophone records, balloons, stickers, T - shirts, a solar oven and much more. Japanese friends, for instance, donated pieces of tile from the roof of a building in Nagasaki (which melted in the nuclear explosion and were found a mile from the epicentre). There are capsules of earth from the site of the battle of Stalingrad, from the concentration camp at Auschwitz, and the Peace Park in Hiroshima; fragments of the Berlin Wall, that now-tumbled symbol of the confrontation between East and West, brought from Germany. The United States military, the Pentagon, donated parts of dismantled Pershing-2 medium-range nuclear missiles, and "remnants" of Soviet SS-20 nuclear missiles came from one of the people employed in their destruction. There is a gift from the astronaut Reinhard Furrer: a flight memento that made 112 orbits of the Earth with him aboard the Space Shuttle "Challenger". Paintings by the French artist Denise Legrix strike the eye with their beauty and vitality, especially when one learns that they were made with a brush held in her mouth by a woman born with neither arms nor legs. There are many children's drawings, displaying remarkable imagination, brightness of colour and talent, offering childishly direct and open portrayals of themselves and their perceptions of the world - today's and tomorrow's. A piece of red brick used in the middle of the 19th century in the construction of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C., has been donated by the American colleagues. The numerous exhibits include unique documents, rare books and posters. The entire display emphasizes the priority that people all over the world attach to universal human values and the pressing need for that priority to be acknowledged in international relations. Frankly, we ourselves were astonished how quickly and widely the idea of creating such a museum was taken up and supported throughout the world. We believe it shows that everyone, no matter where they live, is more concerned than anything with the problems of peace, human rights and the preservation of life on this planet. The Museum maintains extensive contacts with many international and national organizations and with thousands of people of good will on all continents. It regularly receives copies of publications from the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, Commission of the European Union, UNESCO, International PEN, Norwegian Nobel Institute, World Council of Churches, International Committee of the Red Cross and many other bodies. It is a member of the International Peace Bureau in Geneva and of the International Network of Museums for Peace. Material from the Museum's collections has been exhibited in Cyprus, France, the Netherlands, Russia, USA, Japan, Belgium, Cuba and other countries. The Museum's activities have been covered in numerous publications, television and radio broadcasts. We receive invitations to various international congresses, conferences, seminars and exhibitions. Every visitor to the Museum's displays senses the sincerity and universality both of the organizers and of those who support the Museum and send it items to exhibit. There is an immediate sense that peace and a healthy environment are what people want most of all, and that they are prepared to work together to humanize international relations and preserve our common home - the planet Earth. Being a NGO, the museum alongside its own projects, also works in partnership with other museums, organizations for children, youth arts, environmental groups etc. Over the years, there have developed definite areas in which we at the Museum work. We shall call them ongoing projects. MAIN INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS 1. The Peace Autograph The Museum is building a unique collection of signed/inscribed photographs, personal messages/visions and autographed works by people who have contributed significantly to the creation of the better world on this earth of ours. We have already received several hundred of most interesting responses and exhibits from many outstanding personalities, including heads of state and of government, leaders of international organizations, eminent writers, poets, artists, scholars, educators, Nobel Prize Laureates, astronauts, journalists, composers, musicians, singers, movie and stage players, businessmen, sports heroes etc. At the request of the Amsterdam-based Magenta Foundation, part of this unique collection was put on display in May-June 1996 aboard a special educational boat and shown in 25 cities in the Netherlands. In the words of Magenta representatives, it created a "fantastic impression". In the near future there are plans to open a special library to display autographed books, musical collections, pictures, archive materials etc sent in by the participants of the Peace Autograph project. 2. Children of X - Country : Look of the World The object of this project is to offer our fellow-countrymen the opportunity to learn about different countries, peoples and cultures through the eyes of children from the countries concerned. In recent years the Museum has organized displays of children's artwork from France, South Korea, Australia, Egypt, Taiwan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Iran, Albania, Tibet, Russia, Malta, Japan and South Africa... It is intended to establish a permanent International Children's Art Gallery. 3. Children's Peace and Disarmament Festival This is held normally to coincide with Untied Nations Disarmament Week. The slogan of the festival is "War is not a game. Why play with military toys? Peace starts with me." Thus we invite children to exchange their military toys for peaceful ones. Children turn in their machine guns, pistols, cannons, tanks, rifles, catapults etc., sign the International Children's Disarmament Treaty and receive in exchange a choice of non-violent and educational toys: soft toys, construction kits, creative games, books, crayons, pencils, balls and so forth. Children who have no military toys can bring along poems, models and drawings on the subject of peace. Every participant is awarded a special Peace and Disarmament Diploma. Besides the exchange of toys, this popular festival is the occasion for a variety of concert programmes, competitions and exhibitions on the topic of peace, showings of good children's cartoons, origami-crane workshops, a peace lottery, a pen-pals service etc. The success of the festival goes to show that such peace-making activities must be continued. The received wisdom that there is "no shame" in military toys is still very strongly ingrained in both children and adults, and will be very hard to overcome. We believe that even toys can "militarize" children's and adults' attitudes, and we therefore strive to get this point across to both children and their parents and to offer them an alternative. The main object of the Peace and Disarmament Festival is to imbue children from early age with a constructive and creative vision of life and nature so that they will grow up at peace with themselves, with positive attitudes and values that they can carry forward into adult life, and never conceive the desire to destroy this world. 4. Beauty Will Save the World We organize showings of foreign artists in Uzbekistan and Samarkand artists abroad. These exhibitions present pictures and other works of art portraying the beauty of nature, the beauty of friendship, the beauty of love, the beauty of creation and the beauty of peace among nations. Some of these works are included in the Museum's permanent collection and have been shown at one-man shows by the artists from France, Britain and Germany. Perhaps the most conspicuous outcome of the project, however, was the International Artists for Peace Conference entitled "Beauty Will Save the World" and the International Art Exhibition "Art and Beauty", staged in Samarkand in March-April 1997 in conjunction with the Artists for Peace Association. Both events were dedicated to the 10th anniversary of our Peace Museum. Upon receiving numerous pieces of diverse art from around the world an International Art Gallery is now in the process of making. Artwork containing the beauty of nature, the beauty of friendship, the beauty of love, the beauty of peace among nations will be exhibited. Talented artists, painters and photographers from around the world will stand as the foundation of this project. 5. The World through the Eyes of Children with Disabilities This project entails the staging of international exhibitions of art by children with physical or mental disabilities or who have suffered disease, violence, crime, war, environmental pollution and other cataclysms. We hope not only to put the creative abilities, imagination and inspiration of invalid children on show in Samarkand, but to reveal, through what they create, these boys' and girls' enormous spirit, their feelings, dreams, ambitions and visions of a better world. 6. The World of Smiles We are assembling a world-wide collection of smiles, and invite you, your relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbours, pets and all living creatures on Earth to smile along with us. The smiles can be of any type you like, and come in any form you choose (photographs, pictures, drawings, engravings, caricatures, computer graphics, poems, jokes etc). There is no limit on participants' ages or the number of submissions. In time, the Museum will open a special Hall of Smiles. So start smiling now - come on, today, right now. 7. The "Esperanto" International Friendship Club This club, based at the Museum, seeks to popularize and make use of the artificial language Esperanto as a neutral means of international intercourse. It also includes a pen-pals service, helping children and adults in a variety of countries to get in touch since this more than anything else fosters mutual understanding, friendship and love on Earth. 8. The Great Silk Road The geographical location of the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity in Samarkand, ancient bridge between East and West, has also inspired this project, which promotes revitalization of the traditional links across this bridge, by using citizen diplomacy and by developing international tourism, partnerships and cooperation between local and foreign entrepreneurs and experts in a variety of fields. 9. "Clean up the World (CUW)" - carried out jointly with the Samarkand City Young Naturalists' Centre, included all stages of the clean-up: collecting, sorting and disposing of garbage. Volunteers included school groups, university students, and people from local communities. By active participation in the worldwide CUW events, local volunteers expressed their commitment to enter the third millennium with clean houses, streets, squares, parks, mountains and lakes - under the blue sky, with green grass and healthy people. 10. Samarkand on Every Continent Our home town, Samarkand, is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The museum activists collect on a permanent basis ANY type of related material (letters of greeting, travel tales, newspaper articles, books, tourism brochures, songs, poems, photographs, drawings, tourism brochures, documents etc) to do with Uzbekistan and Samarkand. In fact, anything at all on this topic, including photos of streets/ shops/ restaurants/ hotels/ communities/ companies etc in your country with the name “Samarkand”, “Bukhara” or similar will be most welcome. All items sent in will be displayed in the special exhibition. We will also publish the most interesting material in our national newspapers. SOME FEEDBACK: VISITORS SAY - "I think your museum is a wonderful idea, to give and uphold ideals to all, old and young". - "Thanks for the good work and excellent exhibits! I wish you much luck and successes in your upcoming projects. Thank you for all." - "I cannot believe that there is such a wealth of fascinating information here. I am very grateful to have been shown around. Thank you!" - "What a wonderful museum and movement. May our world continue toward Peace." - "I really enjoyed every exhibit in the museum and I look forward to working with the museum in the future. Stay the course - this is an incredible vision." -"I was fortunate to be able to visit this museum and see the assembled work and ideas that must have taken so much energy and will to produce. I salute your success and I wish you the best in the future." - "It's amazing that in this little corner of the park in Samarkand there is this wealth of intellect, love and overall collective support for such an important (and necessary) movement. I wish everyone passing through these doors the best - Peace is something that needs to hit every individual in their heart and spread outwards." SOME QUOTES FROM SUPPORTERS OF THE MUSEUM "The Museum of Peace and Solidarity is, I am sure, very pleasing to God. The wonderful work undertaken for the cause of Peace in the world will surely bear fruit. God bless you." Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Laureate "I would like to send you my best wishes for success in your work. Its importance in these troubled and tragic times can scarcely be overestimated." Noam Chomsky, scholar "How honoured I am to receive your embracing letter, and how pleased I am to hear of your wonderful venture. I am happy to think that a little bit of me will reside in that great , ancient city Samarkand, in a museum dedicated to peace, human rights and the protection of the only world we have. I hope you will accept my small contribution to what I know must be a heart-warming collection of the many much greater individuals who care deeply about this world of ours, and who try hard to make it a better place. We must not stop trying, that's all I know. To you, and your colleagues and your friends, my warm wishes . All the best." Janet Suzman, actress "I certainly wish your museum every success in its worthwhile activity. Anything it does to help achieve a peaceful world is extremely valuable." Sir Edmund Hillary, Chairman, The Himalayan Trust "My heart goes out to the wonderful people of the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity in Uzbekistan who are providing the world with the voice of human beings; for I believe that everywhere human beings are longing for harmony, a better understanding of their neighbors, and for a world where we can exchange knowledge and art. It is my greatest wish that those voices could be heard and given the political weight they deserve. With greatest respect and admiration for the work of the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity." Yehudi Menuhin, musician "I am honored that you would think of me as a contributor for your Peace Autograph project. I am happy to send you the enclosed copy of "Earth in the Balance". I am not surprised that you have had such a positive response on your effort to open a museum, and proud to be asked to contribute. Peace and solidarity is historically our world's greatest challenge. Thank you for your internationally monumental efforts." Al Gore "I send you and the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity my warmest wishes and regards with compliments for your endeavors to create interest for a better and healthier planet." Thor Heyerdahl, explorer "I congratulate you for creating this Peace Museum in Samarkand and sincerely wish that you accept this following statement: May harmony in music and peace and love in Man's Heart be always there. With my best wishes." Ravi Shankar, musician "Your dedication to such noble causes as world peace, human rights, environmental protection and world development represents a building block to a lasting peace among nations and surely merits international admiration. I commend on your efforts and your appeal for world peace…I am honored to be a part of something that means so much to you and your people." Edward M. Kennedy, US Senator "Your initiative illustrates the kind of actions that can help humanity save our beautiful planet earth. Science can provide the knowledge that will make possible the attaining of a lovely and sustainable world. Museums and other educational means can serve a needed role of promoting public support for the successful use of this knowledge. I hope that your plans develop well and that the people of Uzbekistan enjoy a good future." Paul D. Boyer, Nobel Laureate "I am most impressed by your idea and your efforts in the establishment of the Museum of Peace and Solidarity. It is, of course, something I support wholeheartedly, as must all citizens of this could-be-glorious world. Every good future to the Museum of Peace and Solidarity." Julian Glover, actor "It is with great pleasure that I forward to you my autographed photo for the international project "The Peace Autograph". It is an honour for FIFA to be represented in your Museum and I would like to congratulate you for such an initiative. With great respect, I remain very respectfully yours." Joseph S. Blatter, President, FIFA "Peace and Solidarity is what the world needs - with my strongest support for your initiative and my best wishes of success." Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Laureate "Thank you for your letter of invitation to participate in the international exhibit at your museum. I am truly honored to share in this effort of helping people, particularly through such a rare museum in the ancient world. Hopefully the enclosed message will bring some enlightenment to your visitors who, after reading the many thoughts and missives at the museum, will have ever greater compassion and love for people and life in our world, just as you have all intended." Crystal Gayle, singer "Your museum seems fascinating, and certainly it is dedicated to a noble cause. I hope your institution will flourish, and that all will also be well with you and yours." Poul Anderson, writer "Congratulations for your efforts for Peace and friendship between nations." George Vassiliou, former President of Cyprus "I am really honoured to receive your letter and very impressed that you are putting together such a wonderful museum. I enclose a signed photograph and one or two of my publications. I wish your museum every success and all good wishes for the future." Dame Cicely Saunders, Chairman, St. Christopher's Hospice "I appreciate and admire your initiative to build out a museum of peace and solidarity. It is so important for the people and the world of today. I wish you much success with your museum. With 1000 warm wishes for you and your supporters. " Phil Bosmans, educator "I have a great pleasure in sending a complete set of my books which I hope your readers will enjoy. I share all your aspirations: for peace, for humanity, for the dignity of all peoples and for sensible care and maintenance of our small planet. I hope that the world that I have described in many of my books will not return, and that the people of the former Soviet Union will enjoy the freedom and democracy so long denied them." John Le Carre, writer "I am very glad to hear about the good work the Museum of Peace and Solidarity is doing. Once again, thank you for thinking of me. I wish the museum and all the people of Uzbekistan the very best for the future." Danielle Steel, writer "Thank you for your interest in my accomplishments in space and for the invitation to make a contribution to the "Peace Autograph" as part of the International Project. My heart is always filled with pride when I have the opportunity to tell others, especially students, about the value of the space program and fortunate I was to have been a part of it. So may I speak to the young people that will visit your museum and may read this letter …With my blessings and every good wish…" Walter Cunningham, astronaut, Apollo 7 "Not necessary to say that it is an honor for me to support your efforts. I have asked my publisher to send you some books as well as signed photographs. If God permits and my wife and I should once be given an opportunity to come to Samarkand we would not hesitate to knock at your door. Good wishes and kindest regards." Siegfried Lenz, writer "I am very happy to enclose some books and photographs and would like to wish health and happiness to everyone who visits the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity. All best wishes." Susan Hampshire, actress "Thank you very much for inviting me to take part in your most exciting project. Please find enclosed two of my books, both autographed and one with the message on the cover, as well as an autographed photograph. I wish you health, peace and much success with your project. Shalom." Amoz Oz, writer "Peace!… I'm all for it! Thanks for helping!" Phil Collins, musician "I have a friend who says "happiness comes from love and service to others, and a peaceful mind comes from understanding and acceptance". I have found these are principles that promote healing in my life - healing of my relations and of my soul. I truly believe that slowly, day by day and person by person, those same ideals will heal our world. The very fact that this museum exists is proof that we have begun." Judith Light, actress "I am delighted and honored by your request and while I do not pretend to any personal beauty, I am happy to send you a signed picture and more especially, to be a part of this distinguished gathering." John Kenneth Galbraith, scholar "I thank you for the honor to be a part of something as beautiful and important as this Peace Museum. You are an inspiration to me and to countless others. If there is anything I can do to help you, please do not hesitate a second to contact me. In peace and respect," Leslie Nuchow, singer, songwriter, activist "I want to praise you for your enormous work and effort in conflict resolution and building communities of tolerance, peace and love. You have my support and prayers." Danny Glover, actor "I send you my warmest greetings to all those who visit this wonderful museum whose goals I endorse most wholeheartedly with both your country and all of us who strive for peace in our individual way to be rewarded through understanding between all people in the future." Zubin Mehta, conductor "We pray for your country and for your Center of Peace and Solidarity. My best regards, Sincerely," Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, Nobel Peace Laureate "I am not at all surprised that your idea for a Museum of Peace has been so quickly and widely supported. It shows that ordinary people everywhere are fully convinced tht war solves nothing, can never be justified, and that conflicts must be peacefully resolved if the human race is to survive. Count me among your supporters." Herbert A. Hauptman, Nobel Laureate PROSPECTS FOR THE MUSEUM'S DEVELOPMENT Over the past years, the Museum has demonstrated its vitality as an out-of-the-ordinary museum of a new genre without peer in the CIS and Baltic countries. It must, however, be admitted that for want of appropriate physical and technical facilities its enormous potential has up to now been far from fully exploited. Let us dream a little. It would be nice to see the future museum as a multifunctional, international peace centre with all the necessary equipment, preferably purpose-built - with several halls for the permanent exhibition; separate premises for rotating exhibitions; "Beauty Will Save the World", "The Peace Autograph", and "The World through Children's Eyes" galleries; halls for the smiles and non-violent children's toys; a small conference room for meetings, lectures, seminars, creative workshops, and slide, video and film shows; a library; an archive; a room for relaxation and peace-making; a small computer centre with modern communications links to the rest of the world; and even a mini-hotel for voluntary workers from a variety of different countries. There would be an immense map of the world on the floor, flowers everywhere and decorative plants from many corners of the globe. Pleasant music would be playing, and we would hear the voices of nature, as if the planet itself were talking to us ... But this, of course, is still in the world of make-believe. Though people do say that everything begins with a dream. Who knows, maybe even this will one day come to pass. YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED As a non-profit non-governmental organization, the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity depends largely on voluntary work and contributions of groups and individuals whom we regard as fully-fledged "shareholders". If you and your friends share our concerns and wish to support the museum, your assistance will be gratefully accepted. At present a Society of Friends of the Samarkand International Museum of Peace and Solidarity is being set up to support our endeavours. Thank you very much in anticipation for any help that you may be able to offer. HOW YOU CAN HELP · Send material for the museum exhibition; · Put our museum on the postal mailing list of your organization; · Spread the word about the museum in your group and community; · Publicize the museum in the media; · Join the Friends of the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity; · Offer help in any other way you can. And of course, we shall always be very happy to welcome you and your friends to ancient, ever-youthful Samarkand and to our International Museum of Peace and Solidarity. Do come! ADMISSION POLICY Admission is free. Appointment recommended.