Tashkent’s renowned historic mosaics, which have adorned the facades of many multi-story buildings for over fifty years, are set to be fully visible again, thanks to a concerted effort to remove obstructive advertising banners, LBB reports. These intricate artworks are not merely decorative elements but are deeply embedded in Uzbekistan’s cultural and historical fabric, the few beautiful remnants of the Soviet era.
However over the years, preservation of these mosaics faced significant challenges. Many large-scale brands eager to capitalize on prime advertising spaces covered these mosaics with large banners. This practice sparked disappointment among the local communities in Tashkent who saw these actions as a disregard for their cultural heritage.
The public along with activists have been advocating for the preservation and protection of these mosaics. In response to this growing concern, the renowned local payment app Payme took a proactive step to address the issue. Understanding the cultural significance of the mosaics, Payme rented all the advertising spaces on buildings adorned with these historic artworks with the goal to remove advertising banners that obscured the mosaics thereby restoring these cultural landmarks to their former glory. This initiative received support from the government of Uzbekistan, the Tashkent Mayoral Office, and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.
As a result the community response was overwhelmingly positive. The campaign quickly went viral accumulating 9.93mn views, reaching nearly 3.88mn people, and generating a staggering $397,000 in earned media. This widespread support highlighted the collective desire to preserve Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage.
A significant legislative development took place on 25 March 2024 where the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan issued a decree that officially designated approximately 157 mosaic panels in Tashkent and other regions of the country as part of the National List of Real Estate Properties of Tangible Cultural Heritage. This decree recognized these mosaics as monuments of monumental art, ensuring their protection and preservation under the law.
As a result of this legal recognition, 157 buildings featuring these mosaics have been officially declared as part of Uzbekistan's tangible cultural heritage. This designation mandates the removal of all advertisements from these sites ensuring that the mosaics are prominently displayed and can be fully appreciated by both the local communities and tourists visiting from around the world.
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