MOURNING CEREMONIES TAKING PLACE IN ALL DISTRICTS AND TOWNS OF SAMARQAND REGION

Mourning ceremonies are taking place in all districts and towns of Samarqand Region on the passing away of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov.

These days, Samarqand city’s Forums Complex is packed not only with residents of the region but also with people from various territories of the country and foreign guests. In a corner of memory and beneath a portrait of the President there, they are putting flowers as symbols of limitless love and loyalty and are paying last respects to him.

“Speaking during the opening ceremony of an international conference entitled `The historic heritage of scholars and thinkers of the medieval East and its role and significance in the development of the modern civilization’ that took place in this complex in May 2014, our President said: `In places where there is peace and stability, centres of knowledge and science, academies and higher educational institutions will appear. Most importantly, education will develop, interest in it and attention to it will strengthen’. This idea still reverberates in my ears. Thanks to Islam Karimov being a guarantor of peace and calm in our country and a lot of attention from him to young people’s education, morality and literature, today Samarqand is a centre of science, knowledge and culture again, as in the days of our ancestor Amir Temur, There are eight higher educational institutions functioning in the city today. At the Forums Complex built at the initiative of the head of our state and in accordance with his idea, international scientific conferences and political events are held. Every two years, culture and art representatives from all the continents of the world gather in Samarqand for the Sharq Taronalari (Melodies of the East) international music festival, and they study the history and traditions of our national musical culture. At these events, we were filled with pride by a brief greeting from the head of our country: `Welcome to my native city of Samarqand!’. This great person will forever live in our hearts ” says a professor of the Samarqand state university and a distinguished mentor of youth in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Muslihiddin Muhiddinov.

Officers of state and public organizations in the region, employees of educational establishments and people of neighbourhoods there remember the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and promise to continue the good work started by him.

“As if I am having a bad dream. I wake up now, and all of it will dissipate like a fog,” says a labour veteran, Rislolat Soliyeva of Pastdarghom. “Our leader devoted all his life to the development of the Motherland and to our people’s peace and calm. He always led all of us towards great achievements. I still cannot believe that he is no longer among us. The name of Islam Karimov as a peace-loving, caring statesman and a wise and prominent politician will forever be in our people’s hearts,” she says.

UzA