Storytelling to Safeguard Cultural Identity and Sovereignty: Bolstering the Tourism Industry

The U.S. Department of State's Embassy Tashkent announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to implement " Storytelling to Safeguard Cultural Identity and Sovereignty: Bolstering the Tourism Industry" in Uzbekistan. This program aims to maximize the impact of U.S. investments in cultural heritage preservation and Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) projects amplifying shared civilizational values and U.S. linkages while enhancing tourism experiences and building capacity for story-telling and content creation related to AFCP-supported heritage sites across Uzbekistan.

The selected implementer will work in partnership with the Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), Cultural Heritage Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan (CHA), National Tourism Committee, National Content Creation Center, and local creative industry partners to deliver an integrated training program targeting two key audiences: tourism professionals and tour guides, and content creators (bloggers, journalists, filmmakers, and digital creators). The program will establish a specialized lab – Heritage Content Creation & Storytelling Lab – to develop practical skills and increase quality of heritage-related storytelling in different formats and platforms.

This program will enhance the visibility and impact of U.S. cultural preservation investments while strengthening U.S.-Uzbekistan cultural cooperation in support of a Joint Statement of Intent in the Field of Cultural Heritage declared during a C5+1 meeting in November 2025.