CA-NEWS (UZ) - "Tashkent - the History of One City," the exhibition dedicated to the 2200 anniversary of the capital of Uzbekistan, continues its world tour. Great Britain has become the next country which has welcomed the exhibition whose presentation took place on March 10 at Cambridge University, one of the world's foremost educational institutions. The exhibition will last until March 25, 2010.

Speakers during the opening ceremony included the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Great Britain Otabek Akbarov, a professor of Cambridge University Sandra Dowson, head of Jesus College at Cambridge Professor Robert Mayor, head of Cambridge Forum for Central Asia Doctor Sidhart Saksena among others. During the event the greeting speech of Gulnara Karimova, Chairperson of the Fund Forum's Board of Trustees, was also read out.

The Exhibition "Tashkent - the History of One City" is unique not only due to its rare photos but also because it is an "itinerant" exhibition. The exhibition was first showcased in December 2008 in Switzerland. Later it went to Austria and China where it was shown in Dalian during the World Economic Forum.

In Great Britain the presentation was held as part of Cambridge Navruz Celebration Festival attended by professors and students of Cambridge University as well as representatives of universities in London, Oxford, Manchester, Nottingham, Royal Asian Society, the British Museum, business circles, members of parliament and diplomatic corps. This time the exhibition theme was especially opportune given recognition by the UN General Assembly of the traditional Central Asian Spring Holiday and declaration of March 21 as the International Day of Navruz.

The photo exhibition was organized by the Fund Forum with the assistance of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London, the British Council, Cambridge Forum for Central Asia and the British-Uzbek Society. The exhibition consists of roughly 80 photos selected from a book with the same name published by the Fund Forum in conjunction with UNESCO in commemoration of the 2200th anniversary of the capital of Uzbekistan. The pictorial book tells of the history of the development of Tashkent, a city which has always combined the traditional and the modern.

All told, the book contains 450 photos featuring Tashkent in several epochs since photo art emerged in the area. The snapshots were made during 130 years by over a hundred photo masters. The six chapters of the book cover the most important periods of the city's history, starting with the late 19th century up to the present.

The event also included a concert with the participation of a British choir and students from Uzbekistan. Those attending also had an opportunity to savour traditional meals.