Distinguished compatriots!
Honorable participants!

This year, the National Unity Day is being held in the center of GBAO, the roof of the land of honorable Tajik people, on the eve of the holy and glorious 25th anniversary of our State Independence, which is one of the most important achievements in the new history of our peace-loving and civilized nation.

Let me once again congratulate all people of Tajikistan and residents of GBAO, all of our oversees compatriots and all of you, distinguished participants on this glorious day and wish happiness and wealth to all of the residents of our country and peace and stability, as well as everlasting national unity to our lovely Tajikistan.

Today, I can outline with a great satisfaction and pride that as early as from the very beginning of our Independence, our all efforts in establishment of national statehood and strengthening independence towers, focus on this supreme objective, that is national unity and mutual understanding between the people of Tajikistan, and acknowledgement of unity of our history and protection of our national values and cultures is the core of our activities. The history proved that we have chosen the right firm position.

The pathway to establishment of a democratic, law-based and secular state and formation of civil society in Tajikistan, which we have been continuing firmly, is a vivid example of our unity, mutual understanding, tolerance and reconciliation of our people and political authorities.

This unique achievement, as an integral part of our tolerance tradition, plays an important role in political, economic, social and cultural progress of our country. Our honorable nation remembers very well that our newly independent state was whirlpool of a severe civil war at the beginning of the 90s of the last century, resulting in failure of all sectors of our national economy and political crisis in the country. This tragic situation caused the risk of the state disappearance and collapse of nation.

However, fortunately, by building on the history lessons and wisdom of civilized Tajik people, we managed within a short term to prevent severe internal conflicts and lay a suitable foundation for choosing a modern system of governance and development of our country.

Our educated and peace-loving people got united under the umbrella of the nation’s unity and welcomed the national reconciliation as the main precondition for the progress in society and make firm efforts to protect and strengthen this value with high-level enthusiasm so far.

We have to recall that the 16th Session of the Supreme Council played an important role in making this landmark achievement and laid a solid foundation for ensuring future development of our people.

People of Tajikistan clearly understood that it would be possible to transfer our newly independent country into a well-off and developed state and inherit a really progressive and civilized country to the future generations only through national peace and unity environment as well as hard work in the sense of patriotism.

National unity and peace-building experience of Tajik people are among the highly valuable lessons replicated and studied both at the national and global levels.

In this regard, national unity is the most valuable achievement in the new history of the governance of Tajik nation, because it laid a realistic foundation for implementation of dreams of our nation, who with hearts full of hopes had been looking forward to peace and stability, friendship and mutual understanding.

Therefore, there is no doubt that the national unity can be considered as the result of efforts of both young people and elderly in our country and particularly, in this regard, everybody of us has to protect it like apple of their eyes.

Distinguished friends!

The idea of National Unity has made a great and valuable contribution as a powerful factor of unity of our society in a historical life-making period. Today it is high time to comprehensively study and promote the national unity as the core of national identity and thinking.

In this context, we need to promote the appreciation of the independence, peace and unity lessons through inclusive programs among people, particularly young generation of our country, and continuously scale up this initiative.

The contemporary time-being also requires acknowledging the national unity concept as an integral and empowering part of national ideology, and every citizen of our country needs to appreciate this important unifying tool.

In this regard I consider it important:

First, the definition of peace and unity as an integral part of national ideology should be applied as the most important tool for protection of national and state interests in the future. The issue of protection of national interests is of particular importance in the current contradictory world and only the person with the sense of national ideology is capable of making steady efforts to protect national language, culture and other national and humane values.

Second, the core position of peace, stability and unity within the national ideology can open wider horizons for the country’s development and thoroughly strengthen the towers of national economy and national growth.

Third, strengthening the state basis, development of culture and enhancing self-consciousness of individuals and society have a direct association with the national identity and can play the role of life-making tool in the formation of self-conscious patriot citizens.

In order to achieve these supreme objectives, we need to thoroughly and duly analyze the achievements of our independence period, and realistically assess the historical events of contemporary time being.

Complicated events in the contemporary world vividly show that contradiction between the world super powers is more growing, severe phenomena of terrorism and religious and political extremism are more expanding and the risk of new conflicts is occurring in individual regions and countries.

Tajikistan, as a full subject of international relations, cannot be apart these dangerous processes, and therefore, we need to make efforts to protect our national and state interests by strengthening the basis of our independent state.

In this regard, all of the governmental agencies, including executive authorities of provinces, towns and districts, civil servants, intelligentsia, and activists, experienced and reputable figures, and overall every individual with the sense of dignity is obliged to undertake necessary measures to enhance unity and mutual understanding, promote national culture, and to avail all opportunities and resources to avoid admiring strange values and cultures, spread of various negative phenomena, and fight against radicalization.

Distinguished compatriots!

Thanks to the independence as well as full-fledged peace and stability, the Government of our country pays a priority attention to development and progress of all towns and districts of the country, particularly remote mountainous areas, and undertakes necessary measures to establish industries, to develop transportation linkage and social infrastructure as well as to ensure employment of public with permanent jobs.

With this objective, we undertake constant measures for development of GBAO and mobilize all available resources in this regard.

Thanks to the independence and national unity as well as support and care of our Government, towns and districts in GBAO have fully changed, and the living standards of its people have improved significantly compared to several previous years.

At present, all necessary facilities in this remote area of our country have been fully reconstructed and a solid foundation for further improvement of districts and towns in this Province is ensured.

Thus, within a relatively short period we managed to ensure welfare of this paradise part of our country, and continuously undertake constructive measures to ensure environment for decent life in districts and towns of the Province.

Last year, due to natural disaster, Barsem village in Shughnon district fully disappeared and its residents have lost their all livelihoods alongside with their houses.

Thanks to the strong will of noble people of Tajikistan, first and foremost by the initiative of the residents of various towns and districts of the country, decent people of GBAO, governmental agencies, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, new dwellings were constructed and victims were provided with all necessary items in a short period.

Similar humanitarian aid was also provided to Vanj, Rushon and Darvoz districts of the Province in a timely manner, and houses of people were constructed and launched in the shortest period.

Nowadays, activities on construction of residential houses for the victims in Bartang village of Rushon district are also ongoing intensively.

We really felt the power of national unity and outcome of generous Tajik people in these severe days, and we thank the God for the independence, which granted power and capability, patience, tolerance and generosity to the noble Tajik people, who having got more united in difficult and sensitive times, make hard efforts for sustainable peace and stability of our country hand-in-hand.

I am proud of power and generosity of my distinguished people and would like to thank all of those, who have been helping the victims with high level of generosity. This unity and collectivity of people is a great school of humanity and philanthropy for future generation.

Our Government will continue undertaking all necessary measures for development of GBAO ensuring welfare of this corner of our distinguished country by implementing various state and sectorial programs.

It should be outlined that more than 1.7 billion Somoni was spent for development of the Province over the last three years only.

There are plans to implement tens of new public investment projects amounting hundreds millions of Somoni on rehabilitation of roads, construction of power plants and renovation of irrigation schemes in the Province in the nearest future, which undoubtedly would further improve living standards of the residents of GBAO.

Honorable Participants!

At present, thanks to blessing and grace of independence and national unity, our people make steps towards sustainable development with a full confidence in the bright future of our country.

Our living standards, level of education and world outlook, as well as national self-consciousness are constantly improving, both theory and practice of governance in democratic and free Tajikistan is acknowledged in the contemporary world and our country has deserved its specific reputation, and we are proud of this.

Therefore, every self-conscious resident of the country needs to consider their task to raise the new generation, as patriot citizens, who appreciate and value independence, because it is this young generation, who will ensure the future of the state and nation, security, stability, welfare and progress of our country.

Our young people are children of independence, because they grew up along with independence and jointly with the freedom of our country.

I strongly believe that with the support of our noble and generous people we can overcome any challenge in our lives, implement our good initiatives and intensions, and create more decent and better life for our citizens.

I believe that unity will remain holy and stable as the source of happiness of the Tajik nation and progress of our national state, and encourages us in implementation of landmark plans and objectives of our Government.

Particularly this year, we will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Tajikistan’s independence and freedom. Everybody of us is obliged to double their efforts for the sake of this noble country, unity of its territory, and for the sake of strong freedom and independence, as well as peace and stability in this land, and to further improve and enhance its reputation at the international stage.

Thus, all of our patriot and honorable children need to dedicate their all efforts and every day of their activities for the sake of independence for strengthening of our governance, and enhancing economic potential of our distinguished Tajikistan.

In these glorious moments, I would like to thank all young and elderly people of the Province for their warm and sincere welcome and extend my congratulations on the National Unity Day and upcoming great holiday, i.e. the 25th Anniversary of our independence, to our noble people, all residents of GBAO and overseas compatriots, and I wish these landmark celebrations lead our country towards better future and peaceful life and make our public unity stable forever.

Long live freedom, independence and national unity of Tajik people and let them keep the light of love and consolidation on in hearts of every patriot.

Long live independence, freedom and national unity of Tajik people!

Congratulations, Distinguished Compatriots!