but despite their best efforts, ilkhom's existence is precarious.ding doesn't belong to us, and they tried to kick us outjust two years ago. but then i think they have decided they need someone who... just a symbol of democracy. and a distinctive symbol too. i get the impression uzbekistan is involved in a tug—of—war between becoming more open and progressive and respecting its past. i'm travelling an hour outside of the city to see that past in its full glory. this is parkent, known locally as quyosh, which means "the sun" in uzbek, and there's good reason for that. and there it is now. in the middle of nowhere, on a mountain — like, nothing else around it — and it's like something from a 60s spy movie or something. it's incredible. the institute of the sun is a soviet legacy. i can't believe i'm actually allowed in here. it was once home to a top secret project, testing the capabilities of military equipment to withstand extreme heats. whoa! what an incredible view! dr shavkat nurmatov is one of the people in charge. so tell me, originally, why wa