The event, which gathered scientists, astronomers, historians and scholars of high rank, began with welcome speeches of Laurent Vigroux, Director of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Philippe Morel President of the Astronomical Society of France, followed by Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uzbekistan to UNESCO, Yolanda Berenguer, Space Eduction Programme Coordinator Focal Point for International Year of Astronomy (2009) and in the presence of and Buzz Aldrin, the famous Astronaut and second person to set a foot on the moon.

Today’s event is a logical continuation of the international conference "Mirzo Ulugbek and his contribution to the development of the world science," which was held in Samarkand on 10-11 June this year and attended by over 100 national and foreign experts from France, Italy, Japan, Russia, India Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Iran, Turkey, as well as representatives of international organizations.

Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva said: "2009 was declared International Year of Astronomy by UNESCO and marked the 615th anniversary of Mirzo Ulugbek. The concurrence of these two events has symbolic importance. The rich scientific heritage of Mirzo Ulugbek testifies to the fact that he was not only a great son of the Muslim world, but also a genius of the creative thought, whose contribution to the development of all humanity is inestimable. That is the reason why at present, many centuries on, the name of Ulugbek still remains a symbol that brings together the people of the East and the West in the name of achieving noble goals."

Ashraf Akhmedov, research assistant at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Christophe Benoist and Francoise Le Guet Tully, astronomers and historians of astronomy, Observatory of the Cote d’Azur Shukhrat Egamberdiev, director of the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Patrick Fuentes, president of the History Committee of the Astronomical Society of France, Lucien Kehren, president of the Association of the Art and history of Timur and Timurid Shirinov, president of the State University of Samarkand, were present.

Created at the initiative of Ambassador of Uzbekistan to UNESCO Ms. Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, the support fund "Uzbekistan 2020" is designed to accompany the evolution of the country by developing cultural exchanges, human and intellectuals with Western Europe.