India, Oct. 24 -- Uzbekistan's Samarkand will host the UNESCO General Assembly from October 30 to November 13.

For the first time in more than 40 years, a key event of the United Nations cultural organization will take place outside of Paris.

The last time a UNESCO General Assembly was held outside of Paris in 1985, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Since then, Paris has remained the permanent venue for this key event, and the move of the Assembly to Samarkand underlines the importance of this event.

Samarkand, one of the oldest and most prominent cities in Central Asia, is famous for its magnificent architectural monuments and rich history.

The city was an important hub of the Great Silk Road that connected East and West.

Today, Samarkand is know...