The Diplomat
The former Valencian deputy and senator José María Chiquillo was sworn in last week as honorary consul of Uzbekistan in Valencia.
The ceremony took place at the Silk Museum in Valencia, in the presence of the Uzbek ambassador to Spain, Jakhongir Ganiev, and the president of the College of the Silk Art, Gonzalo Orduña.
After taking office, José María Chiquillo said: “Since 2015, as a representative of Spain in the Unesco Silk Roads Programme Network, I have had the opportunity to visit many countries along the ancient and millenary Silk Road, in which Uzbekistan plays a very important role. Uzbekistan, and in particular Samarkand, is the heart of the Silk Road. From the consulate, and side by side with the College of Silk Art, we are going to try to make silk the symbol of identity that unites us and allows us to foster these ties of friendship and cooperation”.
José María Chiquillo Barber has been active in politics since the late 1980s, first in Unión Valenciana and then in the Partido Popular. He was a deputy and senator in several legislatures until 2015.
Since then, he has focused his activity on the Unesco Silk Roads project, from which he derives his links with Uzbekistan, among other countries. He was president of the International Network Unesco Silk Roads Online Platform and promoter of the València Silk City 2016 project.
Uzbekistan has had an embassy in Spain since 2007.
