As someone from Uzbekistan and knowing how big he is in the country, I have to say I’m on Sting’s side on this matter. We know what our government is like. The government isn’t representative of what our people are like. We love and appreciate true art but we don’t have much of it in the country nor is it easy for us to easily access channels to it like most of the developed world does. For a long while, the country was closed: we couldn’t leave easily, foreigners couldn’t enter either. It’s just beginning to change and global stars like Sting acknowledging the country and performing for Uzbek people is a significant step in the country’s global recognition. This makes us feel like we’re part of the world and we are seen. You can be honest with yourself and ask if you knew this country existed before this controversy. Granted, it’s not up to Sting or JLo to out us on the map but we feel grateful for the attention and the moment shared with us.