Many people associate Central Asia with the infamous Silk Road and the splendor of past times. Today’s Uzbekistan, on the other hand, is closely connected with President Islam Karimov, who died in 2016, and his policy of protectionism. But since the end of 2016, under the new president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a wind of change and reform has been blowing through the country. The reforms are aimed at modernizing and liberalizing all spheres of life. Far too seldom is this promising change in Uzbekistan reported in the media, and even less frequently we hear voices from the region.
