 Neville McBain is Director of British Council in Uzbekistan. Since three years he resides with his wife and four children in Tashkent. He is an ardent traveler in the region and a great supporter of tourism development and culture. Neville McBain successfully strives to make a difference. On his inititive British Council graciously sponsors the Discovery Magazine stand at WTM World Travel Market in London for which we are immensly grateful.
Q: What achievement has made you happy this month?
A: In September the British Council organised the Alternative Music Festival which took place in Tashkent and was a great success. Sixty Uzbek bands submitted demo tapes to our competition, thirty auditioned and we selected fourteen to perform live at the Festival alongside UK band Goldrush. Their talents, creativity and dedication were amazing. The audiences at the two events held in the open air Turkestan Palace were wildly excited and many said that such an event had never been held in Tashkent before. I believe strongly that Uzbekistan needs a vibrant creative community because artists help to stimulate the imagination of audiences and to challenge their assumptions, about the world around them, both of which are vital to innovation in all fields and professions. A television documentary is being made of the festival and a CD is being produced of the best of the music. We now plan to make this a regular annual event hosted by the British Council supporting young alternative musicians.
Q: Having lived in Tashkent with your family for the last 3 years, how have you been influenced by the Asian way so far?
A: The biggest and most positive influence of living here, and of travel generally, is that it enables you to think "outside of the box" in a very literal sense because you get to step out of the habitual comfort zones of your own world and home culture and to see things from a completely fresh perspective. It is such a great opportunity to travel and to experience different cultures. What I've noticed especially in Asia is that people take more time for one another. Back in London it sometimes feels like we all exist within private bubbles in even the most crowded spaces: But here in Asia you constantly come across the hospitality and kindness of strangers, even if it's just taking the time to shake hands and to exchange greetings.
Q: You are an ardent traveler in this area of the world. What were the highlights and what remains to be seen?
A: I love to travel and have been very fortunate while based in Uzbekistan to see a lot of the country and also to travel to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Last weekend we had a terrific desert adventure when I went with some friends in search of the Aral Sea! We drove across the Kyzylkum from Bukhara to Muynak, where the fishing fleet lies stranded in the sand, and then drove a further five hours across the desert until we reached the shore of the Aral itself. As you know the story of the Aral Sea is one of the world's greatest ecological disaster stories and that the sea has receded 140kms in only 30 years. When we arrived we camped overnight close to the shore and I went for a swim. The sight of the Aral was very moving and also breathtakingly beautiful. The beach stretched to the horizon in both directions with a backdrop of low hills. We saw some seabirds which indicates there are fish still but there can be very little life remaining. The concentration of salt is such that when you come out of the water, your body is left covered with a fine white powder of salt. That evening we enjoyed a feast cooked by our local guides and a good deal of Scottish whisky and vodka under a sky exploding with stars. Next weekend we're taking our kids to Lake Ayderkul to spend two nights in a yurt and to go camel trekking. Before I leave the region I long to cross the Pamir Highway and also to visit Kashgar.
Q: What words do you most use when explaining Uzbekistan to those back home?
A: The word I use most often when describing Uzbekistan to visitors is that it is 'authentic'. What drew me to Uzbekistan in the first place was that there is no McDonalds here! Most of the rest of the world is racing headlong in the quest for the American Dream and indigenous cultures are being eroded drastically. Here American and other world cultures still barely have a toehold. Instead we have something very original and authentic which, as a result, is fascinating and almost unique. There is of course the ancient Silk Road history; there is life under the Soviet Union, which certainly challenges the assumptions of any westerner brought up with Cold War attitudes; and then there is contemporary Uzbekistan, the extraordinary fusion of cultures old and new during a difficult period of transition. After three years here I still find it constantly interesting and learn something new about it every day.
Q: British Council is represented in 110 countries around the world. What is your focus for Uzbekistan for 2005?
A: The aim of the British Council is to strengthen relations between the UK and other countries through public diplomacy, chiefly in the field of culture. As Country Director I'm not interested in parachuting-in examples of UK expertise or creativity as quick-fix, know-it-all solutions. Our goal is to work in partnership with people in Uzbekistan to help to develop local solutions to development problems. All of our projects therefore have a strong partnership element. Our main interest is in the young people who will be responsible for building Uzbekistan's future. As such the majority of our work is focused at supporting the education sector but we also have many projects in the spheres of arts, English language, information and governance. Uniting all of our work is the motto of our Tashkent office which is "Putting People First". I strongly believe that success everywhere comes from valuing people, for example customers and staff, and the focus of our efforts is doing that by supporting the learning needs of young people in Uzbekistan.
Q: Your treasured piece of art or craft purchased in Uzbekistan?
A: On a cold day once in Khiva I took shelter from the rain in a doorway and found myself in a magical small carpet workshop set up by a young designer from the UK, Chris Alexander, working for Operation Mercy with funding from UNESCO. Chris' vision has been to create carpets with traditional skills and dyes but based on designs he has researched in manuscripts dating back to the Timurid period, or carved wooden doorways around Khiva or the exquisite tile designs found in many of the historical sites. In so doing he has woken up the craft world by creating dramatically new works instead of the repetitive designs always on display to tourists. And what is also unique about these designs is that, while they are based on ancient sources, they have a very modern feel. His project is so successful and demand for the carpets is so strong that he has created employment for around forty women and over half of their carpets are made to order. On my visit I fell instantly in love with a blue and white carpet based on the geometric tile designs that decorate the tomb of Said Aludin in Khiva and that is my most treasured craft work from Uzbekistan. The concept of creating something new, contemporary and innovative from the old is one that I believe is very important and can really help Uzbekistan to create a more market oriented economy. When Chris suggested to me that he would like to do the same with traditional embroidery 'Suzani' works, I jumped at the opportunity and the British Council is now in partnership with him establishing an embroidery workshop in Khiva.Every traveller to Khiva should visit Chris' carpet and embroidery workshops which are situated in the centre very close to the Arkanchi hotel.
Q: A piece of advice for hotel and restaurant owners please
A: There has been considerable growth of private sector hotel operators in the main tourist destinations in Uzbekistan in the past few years, providing good customer oriented services with comfortable and modern amenities. No traveller to Samarkand, Bukhara or Khiva need be concerned at the level of service they'll receive. That said, the private tourism industry in Uzbekistan is still very young and faces a lot of hurdles. To overcome these they need to continue to build the market by improving their services further and by remembering that every single customer is a potential lifelong walking advertiser for their hotel. People are influenced by word of mouth recommendations more than by anything else. For every delighted customer who goes home with tales of their wonderful visit to Uzbekistan, at least two or three more will follow as a direct result. So remember that customers are for life, not just for the holiday season! |
