Registration Opened for Bukhara Night Race
26 May 2025, Tashkent - The organiser of the race, the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan, announces the opening of registration for the annual international Bukhara Night Race, which this year will be held on 13 September.
The Bukhara Night Race has been organised since 2022. On 13 September, the race starts near the Ark Fortress in the Old City and runs along illuminated streets through Bukhara's iconic historical sites. The route passes by ancient madrasas and mosques, the majestic Kalyan minaret, athletes find themselves in the shopping domes of the ancient city, which in the evening is transformed thanks to the warm light of lanterns, illumination of cultural and historical monuments, as well as the special atmosphere of the running event that attracts guests and participants from all over the world.
This year's race will take place in mid-September, which means that the weather conditions for the participants will be more comfortable. In addition to the already iconic children's races, Nordic walking, 5 and 10 km distances, the organisers are offering a new start - a half marathon. The route itself will change, which will create interest for runners who have taken part in previous competitions.
This year's Bukhara Night Race takes place during the first international Bukhara Biennale, which promises to be one of Central Asia's most significant cultural initiatives, bringing together artists and craftspeople from around the world to open dialogue, exchange ideas and showcase the collaborative creative process in the heart of one of Uzbekistan's most ancient cities. Objects created by Uzbek and international artists will be on display in four caravanserais, the Gaukushan Madrasa, the Khoja Kalon Mosque and the Rashid Madrasa. By 13 September, the ‘Recipes for Broken Hearts’ exhibition will be open to the public.
"We invite all participants to discover Bukhara from a new side. The night run along the city's historic routes offers participants a unique experience - to find themselves among ancient madrassas, caravanserais and mosques united in an international interdisciplinary project that will be a destination for the art community from all over the world for ten weeks. We are happy to see that the number of athletes is increasing from year to year, and we hope that this year visitors to the first International Bukhara Biennale will also participate in the races. We expect this new format of cultural tourism to develop rapidly, as culture and sport are meant to unite," — Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan.
The organisers continue to develop the environmental programme ‘Avvalgidan tozaroq’. Plogging will be held in Bukhara. A run during which participants collected rubbish from the city streets. Thanks to this, the venue of the mass event remains cleaner than it was.
As stated earlier, all races in the Samarkand Marathon series are accredited by SheRACES, an international charity organisation. The initiative is aimed at increasing the number of women participants in running events, especially on what are considered challenging distances where their percentage remains low to this day.
"This is the fourth time we are organising the Bukhara Night Race and each year we strive to make the event better. We take into account the experience of previous years, introduce new formats and expand the opportunities for participants. This year we have added a 21km half marathon distance - an important step for the growth of the running movement in the country. We pay special attention to ecology: participants will be able to join plogging - a free run with rubbish collection. It was also crucial for us to get SheRACES accreditation. We follow international standards and strive to create a space where everyone feels comfortable, safe and get the brightest emotions", — Mirkhan Sagitov, manager of the Special Projects Group of the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan, curator of the Samarkand Marathon series of races.
The day will end with a music programme. The artist of Bukhara Night Race-2025 will be announced in the Samarkand Marathon social media.
Organiser of the race: Foundation for Development of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan
General partners of Samarkand Marathon 2025 race series:
Xalq Banki — is the first bank established in Uzbekistan with a history of over 150 years. Today Xalq Banki is one of the leading financial institutions in the country, offering a wide range of services to both individuals and businesses. More than one third of the country's population uses its services, and the bank continues to actively develop new directions.
xazna — is a convenient and secure mobile application for managing finances and accessing government services. It makes it easy to transfer money, pay bills and use online services. Its simple interface and high level of security make xazna an indispensable assistant in everyday life.
General partners of Bukhara Night Race: Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Bukhara Oblast Hokimiyat
About Samarkand Marathon Series:
Samarkand Marathon Series — is an international charity series that started in 2019 and grew into an international level project. Today, it includes Sky Camp Bo'stonliq, ZAAMIN ULTRA, Bukhara Night Race and Samarkand Marathon. The series aims to promote inclusion in cultural institutions. events.samarkandmarathon.uz
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About the Arts and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan (ACDF): The Foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting Uzbekistan's cultural heritage, supporting the creative economy and creating opportunities for artists. ACDF organises major cultural events, including the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) and international exhibition projects.
acdf.uz
About the Bukhara Biennale (5.09.2025 -21.11.2025)
Curator - Diana Campbell, Creative Director for Architecture - Wael Al Awar. Biennale Commissioner - Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan. The Bukhara Biennale presents more than 70 participants, each preparing a project for a grand exhibition entitled ‘Recipes for Broken Hearts’. This interdisciplinary event encompasses visual, culinary, fine arts, textiles, crafts, music, dance and architecture. ‘Recipes for Broken Hearts’ refers to the ancient legend of how Ibn Sina, scientist and founder of modern medicine, invented a recipe for the Uzbek dish, pilaf, to cure a prince of an illness caused by unrequited love for an artisan's daughter. Drawing from this story of healing, the curators present the Biennale as a body nourished physically, emotionally and spiritually, and invite collaborative participation and sensory perception. The event will bring together over 70 artists and craftspeople. International and emerging artists, many of whom will be exhibiting institutionally for the first time, will join forces with masters from Uzbekistan. The Bukhara Biennale positions Uzbekistan as a centre of transregional cultural practice and refers to Bukhara's historical role as the intellectual and economic centre of the Silk Road.
https://www.bukharabiennial.uz
Next Samarkand Marathon series events:
8-9 November - Samarkand Marathon
Registration for Bukhara Night Race is now open:
https://events.samarkandmarathon.uz/event/BukharaNightRace2025/