Regional Tourism & Culture Diplomacy: CAREC’s Tourism Working Group met in Tashkent to push cross-border travel, including upgrades to the “Visit Silk Road” portal, AI travel tools, and shared sustainable tourism standards for 2026–2027. Contemporary Arts in Uzbekistan: A profile highlights how Uzbekistan is building a modern cultural ecosystem, spotlighting Gayane Umerova and the Center for Contemporary Arts Tashkent as a new hub for international visibility. Uzbekistan–Qatar Cultural Ties: Uzbekistan’s Embassy in Doha marked the 35th independence anniversary with a reception featuring Uzbek plov and performances by opera singer Otabek Nazirov. Local Exchange & Education: Seongnam’s mayor met Namangan’s governor to expand cooperation beyond industry into culture, education, and people-to-people links. Chess as a Cultural Sport: Uzbekistan’s role in global chess is reinforced by news that Salesforce will sponsor the FIDE World Chess Championship match featuring Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov. Women’s Sports Spotlight: Uzbekistan’s presence in Asian Games football brackets is echoed as the Philippines prepare “World Cup mode,” while Qatar’s volleyball medal hopes include Uzbek-linked group matchups. Governance & Reform Watch: Reuters reports President Mirziyoyev appointed his daughter Saida Mirziyoyeva to lead a planned Tashkent special economic zone tied to investment reforms.