The 8th International Cotton and Textile Fair opened in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, Wednesday. About 1,000 companies from 38 countries, including buyers of raw cotton, yarn and textiles, financial institutions, international observers and representatives of the international cotton community took part in the two-day fair. The fair will feature conferences with speakers from home and abroad, roundtable discussions, bilateral negotiations, as well as exhibitions and visits to cotton mills and textile plants. Uzbekistan has been hosting the annual event since 2005. In recent years it has been expanded to include an exhibition of the country\'s textile products.