Holding festivals is more important than paving the streets - Ozodbek Nazarbekov (video)

Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov stated that organizing festivals holds greater significance than paving streets. He conveyed this during an interview with journalists at the opening ceremony of the 13th International Music Festival "Sharq Taronalari," which is taking place from August 26 to August 30.

"You frequently question us: Why hold a maqam festival? Why organize festivals for charity and artisans? Are these necessary? Opinions vary widely on whether it would be better to pave streets instead. However, at this moment, such cultural activities are more crucial than paving a street. Human culture is under threat, and allocating 3-5 billion sums for these festivals, in my view, is vital for the preservation of our humanity. As the Minister of Culture, I believe this to be more important than asphalt and other such matters," said Ozodbek Nazarbekov.

For your information, distinguished guests from UNESCO, TURKSOY, the Turkish Culture and Heritage Fund, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and other organizations are participating in the ceremony. In total, more than 400 artists and scholars from around 80 countries are attending this year's festival.

It is worth recalling that the Minister of Culture, Ozodbek Nazarbekov, had previously expressed his willingness to sell his house and return the proceeds to the state if public criticism regarding the funds allocated to the "Voice" project continues.