The Republic of Uzbekistan, being a member of the international community, bears full responsibility regarding support of different faiths. The Article 18 of the Constitution of Uzbekistan fixed that all citizens of our country have the same rights and freedoms, and are equal without distinction by gender, race, nationality, language, religion, origin, belief, personal and a social status. The Constitution guarantees the rights of citizens for freedom of conscience. Everyone has the right to profess any religion or not profess any. Forced propagation of religious views is inadmissible (Article 31).

The Law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” adopted on the 1 May 1998 defines in detail the role and status of the religious organizations and unions, as well as their relations with state bodies.

Uzbekistan is a secular state and the Government does not differentiate between religious organizations due to their size or popularity in the country. All religious organizations – whether they are larger organization like Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan and the Tashkent and Central Asian Diocese of Russian Orthodox Church, or the small single religious organizations – have similar rights and obligations.

Believers of Uzbekistan freely celebrate all religious holidays. That is why, year-by-year and in a wide scale, Muslims celebrate Id al-Adha and Id al-Fitr, Christians - Easter and Christmas, Jews – Pesach, Purim and Hanukkah. By the decrees of the President of Uzbekistan, Id al-Adha and Id al-Fitr are announced as the national holidays.

During Independence years, thousands of citizens of Uzbekistan have had the opportunity to carry out Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, visit sacred places for Christians and Jews in Russia, Greece and Israel. Pilgrims are provided with comprehensive help by the State, including organization of special flights, medical services, concessionary airfare, support with visa formalities and etc.

Hundreds of mosques, churches and meeting-houses, including Khazrati Imam Complex in Tashkent, Orthodox temples in Tashkent, Samarkand and Navoi, Catholic church in Tashkent, the Armenian apostolic church in Samarkand were constructed and restored with support of the Government.

The Tashkent Islamic University was established in September 1999 on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan. The system of religious training also consists of the Tashkent Islamic Institute, 10 madrasas, Orthodox and Protestant seminaries.

During the years of Independence, the Sacred Koran, 16 books of the Old Testament, as well as the whole New Testament were translated into the Uzbek language and published in the country.

In 2004 the Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan together with the Republican Blinds Society had presented the Sacred Koran printed in Braille script. Uzbekistan became the third state in the world which has carried out this good deed. Nowadays, around 24 thousand citizens, deprived of possibility to see the world with their eyes, reside in our country. From this time special boarding schools, public libraries, as well as all interested persons could be provided with copies of the Koran in Braille script.

The State creates conditions to inter-religious peace and harmony in Uzbekistan. The Council of Congregations was established under the Committee for Religious Affairs to promote close cooperation with the religious organizations, provide assistance for different religious communities in their activities and in mutual development of measures for ensuring inter-religious and interethnic peace and harmony of society.

Rich intellectual heritage of the people of Uzbekistan, its ancient cultures and religions attract the interest of the international community. The Government promotes increase of foreign visits to Uzbekistan, so the guests can familiarize themselves with dynamic development of the country.

In 1995 there was organized the Christian-Muslim Conference "To live together under the one sky" in Tashkent. Representatives of the World Council of Churches and some other foreign churches took part in this forum.

There were held two significant events in 1996:

1) in November, the 125th anniversary of the Tashkent and Central Asian Diocese of Russian Orthodox Church. To celebrate this date, for the first time in the history, the Moscow and All Russia Patriarch Alexy II arrived to Central Asia;

2) in December, the Evangelic-Lutheran community of Uzbekistan celebrated 100-years anniversary of the only Lutheran Kirha in Central Asia.

In 2001 Tashkent and Central Asian Diocese celebrated its 130th anniversary.

In 2002 the Tashkent Catholic Church celebrated the 100th anniversary of the revival of Catholicism in the Central Asia.

Samarkand held events on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Apostolic Church in October 2003.

In may 2007 the seminar “Experience of Uzbekistan in achieving of inter-religious harmony” was organized in London by the Three Faiths Forum with support of the Embassy of Uzbekistan. Vice Chairman of Uzbekistan Board of Muslims Sheikh Azizjon Mansur, Vice-Chancellor of the Tashkent Orthodox Christian Seminary Father Sergey Statsenko and Vice-Chairman of the Tashkent Jewish Religious Community Dr Roman Bensman gave a detailed picture of interreligious dialogue and cooperation in our country. Participants included HM Marshal of Diplomatic Corps, representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Embassies of USA, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as academics from several British universities.

Muslims, Christians, Jews and followers of other religions have a thousand years history of co-existence, mutual tolerance, assistance and solidarity. Today, it is obvious that these inter-religious peace and harmony were preserved and further strengthened during Independence years in Uzbekistan.