United Nations
By Erin Levi
On June 24, 2025, The Bukharian Times Editor-in-Chief Rafael Nektalov brought the voice of the Bukharian Jewish diaspora to the United Nations, addressing the High-Level Dialogue on «The Mahalla–an Important Civil Society Institution as the Social Bridge between People and Government towards Sustainable Development,» co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Nations, the Uzbekistan Mahallas Association, and UNDP.
Speaking as Coordinator of the Congress of Bukharian Jews of the USA and Canada, Nektalov offered a unique perspective shaped by a lifetime of witnessing the mahalla’s evolution–from growing up in Samarkand, through his 1993 immigration to America, to decades of return visits that have allowed him to observe its remarkable transformation–alongside its reinvention in the U.S. His address illuminated how this ancient Central Asian institution continues to thrive across continents, from the Jewish quarters along the Silk Road to the synagogues of Queens.
In Conference Room 5 at the UN Headquarters in New York, surrounded by diplomats and civil society leaders, such as H.E. Mr. Ulugbek Lapasov, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the UN, and H.E. Mr. Kahramon Kuranbaev, Chairman of the Uzbekistan Mahallas Association, among other esteemed dignitaries and experts, Nektalov demonstrated how the mahalla’s principles of mutual aid, community governance, and cultural preservation have transcended borders. His testimony served as both historical chronicle and contemporary blueprint, showing how grassroots self-governance remains vital in our interconnected age.
The following speech represents more than academic discourse–it’s a living testament to the enduring power of community institutions that have weathered empires and continue to flourish in new soil.