Ozodbek Nazarbekov receives another high honor

The Minister of Culture of Uzbekistan, Ozodbek Nazarbekov, has been awarded the honorary title of "Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan." President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the relevant decree on August 23.

The minister was recognized for his significant contributions to reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s independence and building a New Uzbekistan, as well as for his exceptional talent.

Ozodbek Nazarbekov was born on May 7, 1974, in the Andijan region. He studied under the Honored Artist of Uzbekistan Muhriddin Kholikov and began his creative career in 1994.

Over the years, he has received numerous awards and titles: Honored Artist of Uzbekistan (2007), People's Artist of Uzbekistan (2010), People's Artist of Karakalpakstan (2012), and the Order of "El-yurt Hurmati" (2014). In 2020, he was named an Honored Artist of Turkmenistan by the then President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. In April of this year, he received the honorary title of People's Commissar of Tajikistan, and in September, he was awarded the title of People's Artist of Kyrgyzstan. Nazarbekov served as First Deputy Minister of Culture from 2017 to 2020 and has been serving as Minister of Culture since 2020.

Previously, the Minister of Culture was involved in controversy after appearing in an advertisement for a private university. This was not the first time Nazarbekov had been featured in commercials; last year, he appeared in a clothing store advertisement. Following an investigation by the Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Rights Protection, the store was fined, while the minister was cleared of wrongdoing. At the time, Otabek Usmonov, Advisor to the Chairman of the Committee, stated that Nazarbekov had not been involved in distributing or producing the advertisement, and therefore could not be held responsible.