Uzbekistan promises to turn into one of the centers of world tourism in the coming years. Since ancient times, Uzbekistan has been attracting the attention of the world as one of the important centers of the Great Silk Road, possessing great potential, natural, historical and cultural values, wonderful traditions and customs. At present, Uzbekistan has entered a new stage of development not only in the political, socio-economic, cultural spheres, but also in the field of tourism. Tourists can find many compelling reasons to visit Uzbekistan. The rich historical and cultural heritage, centuries-old traditions of the Uzbek people, the unique architectural monuments of ancient cities of Uzbekistan attract many tourists from abroad. Uzbekistan has a wealth of historical monuments, not least the towns of Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand, which were the capitals of powerful kingdoms for many centuries. History and culture – The turquoise domes of the madrassah, shining through the centuries of majolica mausoleums and ornate brickwork of the minarets of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, have an astonishing appeal. The unique design, composition and technological solutions of ancient masters in the erection of monumental buildings amaze the imagination of spectators visiting the sights. Taking a trip around the country brings spiritual enrichment to every traveler. Currently, Uzbekistan has a rather awe inspiring claim to fame, with about 15,000 objects of cultural, archaeological and architectural heritage spread throughout the country. Ethnic tourism –  Modern hotels are often indistinguishable from each other. Waking up in a hotel room, one does not immediately understand: Canberra or Bern? Falling asleep in the steppe under a Shanyrak – a round grid in the dome of a nomad yurt – under stars is a completely different thing. The design of the yurt has not changed in two and a half thousand years, which cools in the heat and warms in the cold. Ethnic tourism provides an opportunity to immerse in the way of life of Uzbekistan. Various ethnographic, culinary and crafts fair festivals are held from spring to autumn, where tens of thousands of spectators from all over the world gather to get acquainted with the cultural diversity of the Uzbek people.   Leisure – The modern traveler now yearns for more than just following a guide from monument to monument. Uzbekistan offers such tourists many attractive and interesting places: the tops of Chimgan and the Charvak reservoir, the Nurata Mountains or the Aral Sea together with the plateau. For lovers of an active way of life, here is the real expanse: mountain hikes, fishing and hunting and in winter time – skiing and for the most daring – Heli Ski tours. Ecological tourism – In a world where most larger cities have their night sky polluted, Tashkent stands out as a city with a beautiful starry night, facilitated by the proximity of the mountains. It is not surprising that in Uzbekistan many popular tourist routes pass near pristine nature reserves and national parks, teeming with animals, such as bears or golden eagles. Recreational rest – All the more popular are trips to the picturesque mountain resorts of Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is also filled with balneological resorts that offer thermal, chloride-hydrocarbonate sodium waters for both drinking and therapeutic baths and showers. Business tourism – The successful combination of developed modern infrastructure and the availability of attractive tourism facilities have turned Uzbekistan, in particular Tashkent and Samarkand, into the favorite places for holding international and regional events of several organisations. In Uzbekistan today, the MICE industry (meetings – incentives – conferences – events) is actively developing, which in the modern world has become an integral part of tourism. Shopping – Tamerlane and his descendants called on ceramicists, artists and architects from all over the empire to beautify the cities of Khiva, Samarkand and Bukhara. Their mosques were adorned with the finest murals and mosaics. Happily, Uzbekistan’s artisanal skills live on and you can pick up handmade ceramics or needlework for just a few dollars in most madrassas, which have largely been transformed into bazaars. Jeep tours – One of the most impressive and unusual forms of tourism in Uzbekistan are Jeep tours. At any temperature or season, this is how you can feel the beauty of the hard-to-reach places of Uzbekistan. Dazzling deserts, with the ruins of ancient cities, picturesque cliffs, mountain rivers, legendary cities, encountered on the way, immerse the traveler from one atmosphere to another. Home away home – The cities of Tashkent and Bukhara have a rather European vibe – think lakeside beer gardens, landscaped public parks, and cafés next to most of the main tourist attractions. Easy to get – With a little planning you can squeeze your tour into a week, making this the perfect bite of Silk Road splendour. European nationals can now obtain visas through a simplified procedure. Soon an e-visa system will be introduced to make the visit to Uzbekistan even easier. ————- Photography by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Brussels.

By Guido Lanfranchi. H.E. Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi is the new Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A diplomat and a medical doctor, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi succeeds to H.E. Mr. Saywan Barzani Just a few days before Koningsdag, H.E. Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi presented the diplomatic credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, thus formalizing his role as the new Iraqi Ambassador to The Netherlands. H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi, who arrives to The Netherlands after a post as Ambassador to Turkey, will represent Iraq to both the Dutch government and the many international organizations based in The Hague, such as the OPCW.

In his dense career, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi has been able to combine different roles and professions. On the one hand, he has pursued a high level diplomatic career. Since 2010, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi has worked for the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holding relevant positions not only in Baghdad (as Head of Policy Planning Department and Medical Insurance Department), but also abroad (as Ambassador of Iraq to South Africa and Turkey). On the other hand, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi has also pursued a long-lasting career as a medical doctor. After his successful studies and early working experience at the College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, the Ambassador decided to move abroad. After three years in Libya, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi spent more than fifteen years as a medical doctor in the United Kingdom, holding several positions across the UK.

In his private life, H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi is an open, affable, and active person. The Ambassador is married, and he and his wife have two sons and one daughter. Diplomat Magazine and the whole diplomatic community of The Netherlands warmly welcome H.E. Dr. Al-Alawi, and wish all the best of luck to him for his forthcoming enterprises!  

By Barend ter Haar. Anybody interested in recent Dutch history should see The Resistance Banker, a movie that is currently shown in many Dutch theaters. The original film, entitled Bankier van het verzetis in Dutch, so look for the version with English subtitles.It tells the story of how during the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War a system was set up to finance the Dutch resistance. It started with supporting the families of Dutch sailors. Most of them were at sea when Germany attacked the Netherlands and decided not to return to the Netherlands as long as it was occupied by the Nazis. To punish these sailors, the Germans prohibited disbursing their salaries to their wives and children. To support these families an underground Zeemanspot (Seamen-Fund) was set up. However, there were much more people in need of financial assistance. Therefore a Landrottenfonds (Landlubbers-Fund) was set up, to be succeeded by the Nationaal Steun Fonds (National Aid Fund). This Nationaal Steun Fonds (NSF) supported not only the families of seamen, but also the families of resistance workers that were arrested, people that refused to work for the Germans, Jewish families in hiding, etc. When in September 1944 a general railway strike was ordered and 30000 railway workers lost their regular income, the NSF took also care of them.The NSF distributed about 100 million guilders (currently worth approximately € 500 million) to 50000 addresses, thereby supporting about 150000 people.

Collecting, distributing and administrating so much money to so many destinations would have been a major operation in peace time, but in an occupied country where all this had to be done in utmost secrecy, it was a wonder that the system continued working until the very end of the war. Of the 2000 people involved in distributing the money, 82 were arrested and killed by the Germans. Among those were the two founders of the NSF, Iman van den Bosch and Walraven van Hall. At first, most of the necessary money consisted of gifts. Soon this had to be supplemented by loans that would be paid back after the war. To collect and to distribute the money and to administrate all this, an underground bank had to be set up. This has been the work of Walraven (Wally) van Hall and his brother Gijs. They developed an ingenious system to cheat the Dutch National Bank that was governed by a pro-German director. Without using any violence, they robbed the bank of 50 million guilders. The film The Resistance Banker rightly honours their courage and creativity.