By The vice president conveyed the proposal while meeting Uzbek Prime Minister Abdullah Nigmatovich Aripov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, during his working visit to the country.
“I also proposed (to the prime minister) to develop some kind of Soekarno Memorial Library at the grave site (of Imam Bukhari),” Amin stated on Tuesday evening.
Amin said he proposed the memorial library to be developed close to Imam Bukhari’s grave site to commemorate Soekarno’s past contribution to finding and suggesting the restoration of the Muslim scholar’s grave.
During his visit to Uzbekistan, at that time a constituent state of the Soviet Union, Soekarno urged Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to search for Imam Bukhari’s grave site, which he believed was located in Uzbekistan. The grave was later found in Uzbek’s Samarkand region.
Amin said the national founder at that time also encouraged the grave site to be refurbished to facilitate Muslims keen to visit the resting place of the Muslim scholar.
“We hope the project can be realized,” he remarked.
The vice president noted that the development of the memorial library had been discussed by the tourism ministers of Indonesia and Uzbekistan.
“We should advance this to ensure its realization, as it is important for the history and pride, not only for ours but also for Uzbekistan,” Amin emphasized.
He highlighted that the development of the Soekarno Memorial Library in Uzbekistan could also enhance bilateral relations between Indonesia and Uzbekistan.
Amin and his entourage embarked on a working visit to Uzbekistan on Monday (June 12) to bolster bilateral cooperation.
The vice president will be in the Central Asian country until June 16 before returning to Indonesia on Saturday (June 17).
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