What is Samarkand, where PM Modi reached for SCO Summit 2022, famous for?

The 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS) is set to commence on Friday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Samarkand on Thursday evening to take part in the SCO Summit. 

What is Samarkand famous for? 

The name comes from Sogdian Samar means "stone, rock" and Kand meaning "fort, town."

Located in southeastern Uzbekistan, in the Zarefshan River valley, Samarkand is Uzbekistan's cultural capital and has been an integral part of world culture for more than two and a half millennia. The city of Samarkand is located in the Zerafshan River valley, in north-eastern Uzbekistan.

The city is full of natural resources and the settlement in the region dates back to 1,500 BC. Samarkand is one of the most important sites on the Silk Routes traversing Central Asia.

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The state and official language in Samarkand, as in all Uzbekistan, is the Uzbek language. As in the rest of Uzbekistan, the Russian language is the second official language in Samarkand.

Samarkand, since ancient times, has been widely known for its craft production, with a citadel and strong fortifications. Even today, silk weaving and the production and trade of textiles remain one of the city’s major industries. 

According to an article on UNESCO, "The ancient city of Samarkand seems to have been a crucible of cultures and religions. An archaeological reserve in the northeast of Samarkand, known as Afrasiab, the site of the ancient city, contains numerous indications of a diverse medieval society."

Meanwhile, the SCO Summit 2022, was launched in Shanghai in June 2001 and has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.

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Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia will be attending as Observer Nations with the process of registration of Belarus membership in the SCO. Azerbaijan, Armenian, and Turkey will be attending as dialogue partners, as well Turkmenistan, the only Central Asian Republic not a member of the SCO.

A host of other countries will be attending in various capacities. The SCO is set to sign memorandums with Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia designating them as dialogue partners.