On August 25 this year the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov participated at the festive ceremony, dedicated to the 2750th anniversary of the ancient and ever young city of Samarkand, the local agencies reported August 26.  

The sovereignty has allowed to preserve and enrich the cultural and spiritual heritage of ancestors of the Uzbek people, to thoroughly study the history of the Uzbek statehood, realize and demonstrate the nation’s originality.

On the initiative of President Islam Karimov the jubilees of the great ancestors of the Uzbek people are now broadly celebrated alongside with a considerable study of their scientific and spiritual heritage. Their burial places are taken care after and being improved.

The international community has acknowledged the profound role of such cities o­n the territory of Uzbekistan as Bukhara, Khiva, Termez, Shakhrisabz, Karshi, and Marghilan, whose history account for millennia.
During the years of Independence Samarkand became even more beautiful. In the context of 600th anniversary of Ulugbek the ancient observatory and great scientist’s madrassah were restored. The year 1996 was announced in Uzbekistan as the Year of Amir Temur.

Thanks to commemoration of the 660th anniversary of Sakhibkiran the enormous improvement and betterment has been undertaken then in Samarkand. In line with the President’s Decree of October 1996 Samarkand was awarded the Amir Temur Order. Since then the said date is marked in Uzbekistan as the Samarkand Day.

Nowadays, the people of Uzbekistan are celebrating the glorious 2750th anniversary of the ancient and ever young Samarkand, known all around the world as the ‘decoration of the face of Earth’ and ‘pearl of the East’.

At around 19 hours of the Tashkent time the vast amphitheater, which links the madrassahs of Ulugbek, Tillakori and Sherdor in Samarkand was filled with participants of the commemoration – the representatives of foreign diplomatic missions in Uzbekistan, international organizations, participants and guests of the Sixth International Music Festival “Sharq taronalari” (‘Melodies of Orient’), people of arts, foreign journalists, and tourists.

President Islam Karimov, who has been welcomed to the stage with tons of applause and greetings, congratulated all participants of the festive ceremony, and in their persons – the entire nation of Uzbekistan o­n the 2750th anniversary of Samarkand.
This holiday and incomparable beauty of the town are the outcomes of Independence, peace and stability in the country, he said. The transformations, which have taken place in the country, and particularly, in Samarkand, the profound creative work have demonstrated the enormous intellectual potential, talent and mastery of the Uzbek people.

President has sincerely welcomed the participants of the Sixth International Music Festival “Sharq taronalari”, which has been launched o­n August 26 in Samarkand, and wished them success in their endeavors, new achievements in their noble cause, as well as creative inspiration.
“The time and tide wait for no man,” – President has said, “it has already turned ten years since this festival was launched. Certainly, it is not for nothing that we are holding this event, which expresses the soul and spirit of the East and serves the noble cause of preserving and developing the art of classical music, in the very city of Samarkand and in its heart – an incomparable Registan Square”.

If the first festival in 1997 saw the participants from 32 countries of the world, then this year this number accounted for 50. With the rise of its authority in the world, so the ranks of its participants are o­n the increase.
Also, the same day prior to the festive event President Islam Karimov observed the work undertaken in Samarkand in the context of town’s landmark date.

Samarkand, which astonishes the people from around the world with its historical monuments, sacred places, for over the years of independence has also acquired fame as a modern city. o­n the eve of jubilee tens of social and service facilities were constructed, the cozy parks and gardens were erected, as well as broad streets and motorways were built.

President has highly assessed the creative work accomplished in the city and said that the reconstruction and restoration of architectural monuments required considerable work and mastery.
“There are not much such grand and ancient complexes as Shokhi Zinda in the world,” – Mr. Karimov has said, “and it is our humane obligation to preserve it like an apple of an eye, deliver it to the forthcoming generations in its initial look”.

While taking floor at the jubilee celebrations President of the UNESCO General Conference Musa bin Jafar Hassan highly assessed the role of Samarkand in the world civilization, its contribution to the development of science and culture, significance of the International Music Festival “Sharq taronalari” in promotion of music and songs of the people of the world.

The beautiful fireworks o­n the Samarkand sky concluded the event, the reports have said.
Ikboljon Soliev for the Information Agency “Jahon” in English