Samarkand Once Again Unites World Cultures Over a Cup of Tea

On May 21, 2026, the International Festival “Tea, Culture, Peace!” was held for the fourth time at the Buyuk Samarkand restaurant, located in the grand Silk Road Samarkand international tourist complex in Samarkand. Once again, the festival served a noble purpose: bringing together peoples, values, and cultures through tea.

Warm video greetings were sent by H.E. Yu Jun – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Uzbekistan and other official partners of the festival.

The official partners played a special role in ensuring the high standard of the event: the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Uzbekistan, Northeast Electric Power University (NEEPU), and the Confucius Institute in Samarkand.

In addition, creative video sketches on the theme “Have You Had Tea Today?”, prepared by participants of the international project “Teo, Amo kaj la Mondo” (“Tea, Love and the World”) from various countries in more than 50 languages and dialects, brought special energy and inspiration to the festival program.

The main goal of the festival is to unite different peoples on a platform of cultural dialogue through tea-drinking traditions, to awaken young people’s interest in historical heritage, and to harmoniously combine tea culture with modern lifestyles.

One of the brightest moments of the evening was the deep respect shown for literature and spirituality. The ceremony awarding the title of Honorary Professor of the university to Khosiyat Bobomurodova, Professor of the SIUT Center for Uzbek Language and Culture and People’s Poet of Uzbekistan, was met with thunderous applause from the entire audience.

During the event, the team of Amir Tea Samarqand LLC, which had worthily represented itself at the international exhibition in Beijing’s Zizhuyuan Park, was solemnly presented with a special letter of appreciation and an honorary award from the Chinese Organizing Committee.

National tea ceremonies, a tasting of selected teas, and the intellectual quiz “Guess the Secrets of Tea,” held under the guidance of Anatoly Ionesov, Director of the scientific and educational Center “Human. Culture. Peace,” gave the event a special atmosphere. As part of the cultural program, the songs “Choy” and “Tong bilan” performed by Zulfiya Rashidova, as well as heartfelt dance performances by the young children of university staff — little Emil and his partner — brought warmth and genuine sincerity to the gathering.

However, the true cultural culmination of the evening was the performance by SIUT’s foreign professors and lecturers, who, dressed in national costumes, performed the legendary song “Musical Teahouse” by the Yalla group in exactly five languages. This vivid stage performance expressed the festival’s main idea — friendship among peoples and harmony of cultures — through art.

International Tea Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly and held in 2026 under the slogan “Sustainability in Tea — Prosperity in Society!”, concluded on Samarkand soil in this elevated spirit.

“Enjoy Tea With SIUT!”