The event became a landmark occasion: the award ceremony was organized with the participation of the presidents of Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan. The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, established this award by decree on November 3, 2025.
The initiative aims to support outstanding creative and scientific figures — both local and international — in areas such as literature, art, science, education, and digital technologies.
The award will be presented annually, starting this year, in seven categories: literature; cultural heritage; theater and cinema; music and dance; visual and applied arts; fashion and design; science, education, and digital technologies.
Winners of each category are awarded a statuette, a diploma, and a cash prize of 10,000 US dollars. The laureates of the first prize were outstanding individuals from Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan:
- Sultan Raev (Kyrgyzstan) — in the category "Literature"
- Davlat Safarzoda (Tajikistan) — "Culture"
- Yerkbulan Daiyrov (Kazakhstan) — "Theater and Cinema"
- Alim Gasimov (Azerbaijan) — "Music and Dance"
- Babasari Annamiradov (Turkmenistan) — "Fine and Applied Arts"
- Dilafroz Egamberdieva (Uzbekistan) — "Science, Education, and Digital Technologies"
During the award ceremony, the heads of participating countries were present: President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, leader of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and other leaders.
Thus, the establishment and first awarding of this international prize is an important step in strengthening the cultural and intellectual connection between the countries of Central Asia and other regions.
