News history

Two of the world’s foremost chess virtuosos – the current world champion Viswanathan Anand and the 17th world champion Rustam Kasimjanov – pitted wits against each other in a friendly rapid match on March 27 organized by the Fund Forum and Uzbekistan Chess Federation. After a suspenseful game between the two, FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov proposed that Gulnara Karimova play a game of chess with Vishy Anand, which ended in a draw.

Two projects devised by the Fund Forum reached their culmination on March 25 at Tashkent`s Center of National Arts with the closing ceremony of “Bazar Art/Spring 2001” applied art fair and the award-presenting ceremony for the winners of the Pedagogical Grants Program. This year “Bazar Art” applied art fair brought together 100 leading craftsmen from across Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan while 1,320 teachers participated in the Pedagogical Grants Program. The project winners – 50 educators and 5 craftsmen – as well as all the participants were saluted by Gulnara Karimova, the chairperson of the Fund Forum`s Board of Trustees.

On March 24-26, Tashkent`s Youth Creativity Palace hosted “Health and Beauty” International Exhibition of Traditional Medicine and Beauty Care, which brought together traditional healers along with local and foreign producers of natural products. The exhibition was inaugurated by Gulnara Karimova, the initiator of the event, who also presented her natural cosmetics line titled “Collection of well-being for soul & body from GULI”. The opening ceremony also included a presentation of the encyclopedia “Medicinal herbs of Central Asia and their use”, the first of its kind in Uzbekistan, published under the aegis of Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna) International Association of Traditional Medicine.

Celebrating Navruz, the spring equinox holiday, is a beautiful and eagerly-awaited festivity. This year, on March 23, the Fund Forum and its partners combined the festivities with a celebration of the sixth birthday of the Women`s Council. Its founder and chairwoman of its Organizing Council, Gulnara Karimova, welcomed guests that included leading culture and art professionals, scholars, officials of international organizations and members of the diplomatic corps. The celebration was attended by over 300 people.

From March 19 to March 21, the Fund Forum, the Women’s Council and Mehr Nuri Charitable Foundation – organizations headed by Gulnara Karimova – marked Navruz holiday in all regions of the Republic by visiting needy families and providing presents for them. All told, 36 families benefitted from the charitable undertaking, with postcards with warm congratulations from Gulnara Karimova being delivered to them. In the following two days members of the Women’s Council visited over 500 families as a sign of care and attention.