Initially, it might seem surprising that an 11th-century thinker and a renowned Timurid astronomer are commemorated in a stunning city in the Baltic region. Yet, this is no coincidence. These monuments transcend mere art, serving as symbols of the deep-rooted scientific, cultural, and human connections between Uzbekistan and Latvia.

Avicenna’s name has been recognized in Europe for centuries. His famous Canon of Medicine, translated into Latin, was a key medical textbook at European universities for over five hundred years. The Latin version helped his scientific legacy become part of global civilization and significantly shaped the progress of European medicine.

Latvia continues to preserve Avicenna’s memory to this day.

Riga features two monuments honoring the great physician. The first is an antique marble bust, over a century old, crafted by a Latvian sculptor. This bust is displayed in the Rīga Stradiņš University museum, which maintains a permanent exhibit dedicated to the scholar’s life and scientific contributions.

The second monument is a bronze sculpture installed in 2006 near Gaiļezers University Hospital. It was commissioned by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan and designed by renowned Uzbek sculptor and People’s Artist Ravshan Mirtajiyev, who also created the Mirzo Ulugbek monument in Riga.

To me, these monuments hold a unique and deeply personal meaning.

I am now a second-year student at Rīga Stradiņš University. From the moment I arrived, I was eager to learn about the university’s history, which is why I visited the university museum early on.

The marble bust of Avicenna quickly drew my attention as one of the most renowned physicians in world history.

This became particularly meaningful after I passed one of the most difficult exams of my first year – Latin.

We often think of Latin as primarily the language of medical terms, but it also served as a bridge between Eastern and Western scientific ideas nearly a thousand years ago. Thanks to Latin translations of Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine, European universities trained many physicians over the centuries. Essentially, knowledge from what is now Uzbekistan contributed to European science long before modern national borders existed.

In my first year of study, I frequently visited the Avicenna monument near Gaiļezers Hospital.

One day, my fellow students, noticing I had brought flowers to the monument again, asked with a smile:

“Is Avicenna someone related to you?”

“Certainly. Not through blood, but through heritage”.

This short phrase communicates a lot.

Avicenna was the leading scholar of the First Eastern Renaissance, thriving in the 11th century. Mirzo Ulugbek was a key figure in the Second Renaissance during the Timurid period. Their contributions are universal, yet for every Uzbekistan citizen, they represent a profound source of national pride.

The monument to Avicenna holds special significance for me because its history is deeply connected to my family’s story. The sculptor was the renowned Uzbek artist Ravshan Mirtajiyev, who also designed the monument to Mirzo Ulugbek. Today, both statues stand as powerful symbols of friendship between Uzbekistan and Latvia.

This friendship has longstanding historical roots.

Sixty years ago, the Tashkent earthquake devastated my hometown. Latvia was among the first to help, sending builders, engineers, machinery, and construction supplies to Tashkent. Today, a beloved inscription remains on the facades of several buildings: “A gift to Tashkent from Latvia”.

For many generations, these words have represented human solidarity, mutual help, and genuine friendship among the residents of my city.

Nevertheless, the cultural exchange between our nations started long before.

My grandmother, the distinguished Uzbek artist Shoira Khasanova, was a student of Vladimir Petrov, who graduated from the Riga Academy of Arts. In his youth, my grandfather traveled to Riga to apply to the same Academy.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Latvian sculptor and educator Kārlis Strazdiņš lived and worked in Samarkand. He played a key role in establishing the Union of Artists of Uzbekistan, advancing professional art education, and helping shape the Uzbek national sculpture school.

Ravshan Mirtajiyev, an Uzbek master, designed monuments to Avicenna and Mirzo Ulugbek in Riga.

History appeared to form a graceful cycle of mutual respect, trust, and cultural collaboration.

Today, this circle evolves into a new dimension.

Almost a thousand years ago, scholars from the area now known as Uzbekistan contributed to European education. Their works fascinated students at universities in Bologna, Padua, Paris, and other cities. Today, it appears history is repeating itself. Young Uzbek students now go to European universities not just to learn, but to join the global scientific community and pursue discoveries.

I am proud to be a daughter of New Uzbekistan, a country that has created opportunities for young people to study at top universities worldwide.

We no longer arrive in Europe as unfamiliar students. Instead, we carry the legacy of renowned scientists like Avicenna, Mirzo Ulugbek, al-Khwarizmi, al-Fergani, Beruni, and numerous other thinkers whose innovations have significantly influenced world history.

Whenever I pass the monuments to Avicenna and Mirzo Ulugbek in Riga, I feel both pride and a sense of responsibility.

They remind us that our responsibility goes beyond simply appreciating the great past. We must strive to become its deserving successors.

I genuinely believe my generation can help revive Uzbekistan’s robust scientific traditions – spanning medicine, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, and emerging technologies – so that, like a thousand years ago, innovations from our land may once more benefit all of humanity.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of my homeland’s independence.

During the festive days, my friends, fellow students, and I will visit the monuments of Avicenna and Mirzo Ulugbek in Riga and lay flowers at their bases.

These are flowers of gratitude dedicated to the esteemed scholars.

Flowers symbolizing respect for the shared history of our nations.

And flowers of hope that the friendship between Uzbekistan and Latvia will continue to strengthen through science, education, and culture.

Ultimately, monuments are more than just bronze and stone.

They represent memory and the continuity across generations.

They serve as a reminder that knowledge transcends national borders.

Although our great ancestors introduced new scientific horizons a thousand years ago, today’s young generation in Uzbekistan aims to honor this legacy through their efforts, knowledge, and discoveries.

Student at Rīga Stradiņš University