Category: Uzbekistan
“When Appearance Replaces Faith”: Sarvar Karimov on His Uzbek Film Farz
Set in Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, Farz (Duty) explores the tension between sincere faith, personal integrity and social expectations. Director Sarvar Karimov speaks to Novastan about his film's minimalist visual style,… [...]
Can design help reimagine the future of the Aral Sea? Joseph Grima on a different kind of school
Can design help address the Aral Sea region’s environmental challenges? Aral School director Joseph Grima discusses climate change, local knowledge and a new approach to design education in Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan. [...]
From Madrid to Kabul: An Afghan Diplomat on Spain, the Taliban and the Republic’s Collapse
Five years after the Taliban's return to power, former Afghan diplomat Hamed Wahdat Ahmadzada reflects on the collapse of the Afghan Republic, Spain's two decades of engagement, the Afghan diaspora… [...]
Uzbekistan’s Disability Rights Reforms: Progress on Paper, Barriers in Practice
Uzbekistan has introduced significant disability rights reforms, but barriers to accessibility, employment and social protection remain. Oybek Isakov, Chairman of the Association of Disabled People of Uzbekistan, explains why legislation… [...]
The Middle Corridor is growing, but can it deliver? A logistics operator’s perspective
The Middle Corridor is attracting growing freight volumes, but can its infrastructure keep pace? Christian Hirschmann of Azurite Logistics discusses the Caspian bottleneck, commercial competitiveness and Kazakhstan's growing role in… [...]
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Janina Arsenjeva: “Finding a problem doesn’t mean reform has failed”
Disability rights are gaining ground across Central Asia, but progress remains uneven. Janina Arsenjeva discusses what is changing, who is still being left behind, and why finding problems can itself… [...]
Nothing to Waste: Dildora’s Science of Peanuts
In Uzbekistan’s Andijan region, researcher and entrepreneur Dildora Nurmatova is building a family peanut business around a simple principle: waste nothing. From snacks and milled kernels to animal feed made… [...]
Share Happiness, build an industry: Lola Animation’s Uzbek animation story
Producer Azimjon Rahimjonov speaks to Novastan about Lola Animation, the making of Share Happiness, the rapid growth of Uzbekistan’s animation sector and the ambition to bring Uzbek-created films to international… [...]
From Tashkent to the international stage: Diana Skobina brings Uzbek music to new audiences
From Tashkent to international concert halls, pianist Diana Skobina reflects on her Uzbek musical roots, classical training, life in the United States and her ambition to bring Central Asian repertoire… [...]
South Korea’s Central Asia strategy is regional in form, bilateral in practice
South Korea has elevated ties with Central Asia to summit level. But experts tell Novastan that the real test lies in investment, local value creation and cross-border cooperation - not… [...]
When reform reaches everyday life: Lessons from Uzbekistan and Mongolia
What makes reform work beyond laws and strategies? Former UNDP Resident Representative Matilda Dimovska reflects on public services in Uzbekistan, social inclusion and Mongolia’s green transition. [...]
From the Aral Sea to eco start-ups: Uzbekistan’s young climate generation
Support Novastan, the European Central Asia magazine By supporting Novastan, you are supporting the only English, French and German-language media specialising in Central Asia. We’re independent and we need your… [...]