DUSHANBE, 27.06.2017. /NIAT «Khovar»/. The Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan His Excellency Emomali Rahmon took part in the celebrations marking 20th anniversary of the National Unity Day as part of his trip to Vahdat town.

The event was attended by Tajikistan’s intelligentsia, representatives of cities and districts of the country, the diplomatic corps accredited in Dushanbe, the activists of Vahdat, and other officials.

Prior to festive event, the President of our country Emomali Rahmon attended the inauguration of the twenty-storey residential building consisting of 270 apartments, and commissioned a new building of the Interior Ministry’s office in Vahdat town.

The head of state Emomali Rahmon also attended official ceremonies of opening of a small manufacturing enterprise, vehicle repair center and a secondary education institution №71 which accommodates 1,280 pupils in two shifts.

The Leader of the Nation also in the continuation of his working trip attended a simultaneous wedding ceremony of 30 couples and circumcision ceremony of 20 boys from Vahdat’s low-income families.

Emomali Rahmon handed over marriage certificates to newlyweds and to children — memorable gifts.

Later on, National Flag of Tajikistan was raised by the President of the country Emomali Rahmon on a 50-meter-high flagpole.

The President’s address at the ceremony dedicated to National Unity Day celebrations:

Distinguished Compatriots!
Esteemed Participants!

Let me in this glorious moment extend my sincere congratulations to the honorable people of Tajikistan, our compatriots overseas, every youngster and adult in Vahdat town and all of us, distinguished participants, on the occasion of the 20^th Anniversary of the National Unity Day and wish to your families peace, unity, happiness and wellbeing.

This milestone date for our noble people is very important since the young and independent Tajik state was saved from the threat of disappearance and the nation was saved from split, it became the start of the process of revival of the destructions caused by the imposed war and creation of our homeland.

I would like to particularly emphasize that the Tajik peace is the highest reflection of willingness and the will of our peace-loving people, i.e. the heroic Tajik people deserved it historically.

The independent Tajikistan for 20 years after signing the Peace Agreement has passed through a worthy pass and it is essential for the current and future generations to study and apply its past experience as a life guide.

From the very first days of attaining peace we started building a state with a message on peace, for the sake of peace and stability of our country, happiness and pride of our noble nation and future generations. We are intended to continue this policy onwards.

The national unity of Tajik people is an invaluable treasure, which they achieved through their hard work thanks to their dedication and by sacrificing the lives of thousands of valiant sons of the nation. Therefore, we are obliged to make efforts to implement the ideas of national unity and their strengthening, jointly work for revival and strengthening of our national values and enhance the idea of national statehood, which is the core for flourishment of our Tajikistan.

We are proud that thanks to independence, peace and stability we entered the stage of sustainable development and now we have favorable environment in place for peaceful life and constructive activities of the pride Tajik people as well as for arranging all types o political and cultural events.

Currently, the towns and districts of our country have developing and flourishing and the living standards of population is constantly improving thanks to the dedicated work of our noble people.

Vahdat town has also been developing thanks to independence we achieved and patriotism of its residents. Now it turned into one of the developed agrarian and industrial centers. In 1997 its budget revenue part made only TJS 360 000 while in 2016 this indicator reached TJS117m, i.e. Vahdat town’s budget increased by 328 times during 20 years.

Alongside with this, public programs implementation in Vahdat town made it possible to develop entrepreneurship and improve investments and the number of production enterprises has been increasing every year. While the industrial products production made TJS 11m in 1997, this figure reached TJS 243m in 2017. Only during the recent years the industrial production increased by 41 times in the town.

In this period 24 production workshops and enterprises equipped with the latest equipment with more than TJS 3b of total investment were launched in Vahdat town, including cement plants with the annual capacity of 1,2m tones cement and gold extraction and refining enterprise of “Pakrud” and thousands of residents are employed with permanent jobs. Also, Vahdat town Socio-economic Development (2016-2020) will make it possible to introduce wider processing of raw materials and strengthen the town’s production capacity. Implementation of envisaged activities will make it possible for the town to turn into one of the major industrial and agrarian towns of the country in the nearest future.

Vahdat town residents and generous farmers have an extended experience in land management and are popular for advanced agriculture, particularly for growing fruits, vegetables, establishment of greenhouses, growing seedlings, horticulture, livestock, paultry and agricultural product processing. Vahdat town’s agricultural output amounted TJS 560m in 2016b only, which is by 30 times more compared to 2000 and this already proves the earlier statement.

Moreover, development activities are constantly expanded in the town and construction of several new processing facilities, schools, service offices, a modern stadium with 25 000 seating capacity is completed on the onset of the celebration of the National Unity Day 20^th Anniversary.

Development of social areas, including education and healthcare are always at the centre of attention of the Tajik Government. Effective measures on improvement of conditions for education and medical services are undertaken every year in the town. One of these activities is the launch of multi-profile hospitals, modern health centers and units, particularly rehabilitation of the National TB Centre. A number of sanatoriums and resort centers were renovated and the Ramit valley was proclaimed as a tourism area by the Government Resolution. Implementation of envisaged measures will turn Vahdat town into one of the important tourism areas in the nearest future.

Given these facts, celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of the National Unity Day in this town named in the honor of this historical for our nation day, i.e. national accord, is very symbolic and mark of pride for every citizen of our country, particularly for the proud citizens of Vahdat town.

Distinguished Compatriots!

Though the pathway Tajikistan has passed through towards the unity and integrity, was not event and smooth, however, our noble people performed unprecedented efforts to strengthen national statehood pillars, protect borders of their ancestors homeland, ensure the national integrity and protect peaceful environment and strengthen national consciousness. It is my utmost belief that the future generations will remember them as the resemblance of patriotism.

Every honest, decent and conscious member of society should always remember that only independence and freedom are the most important factor for strong State and existence of nation and everybody of us has to make every possible consistent effort to protect and strengthen our national holy values. With a view to further strengthening these achievements, it is essential to turn the concepts such as independence, freedom and national accord into the eventual constructive and unifying objective of democratic, law-based and secular society in Tajikistan. These concepts strengthened our citizens’ feeling of respect towards their beloved Tajikistan and holy values of their homeland, built their confidence that the ancient Tajik people are capable of making great achievements and inherit a flourishing country to the future generations only through their constructive efforts.

This short historical period showed that Tajiks are indeed wise, civilized, patriotic peace-loving and tolerant people and are able to create a progressive, democratic law-based and secular society through their unity and integrity. In this regard, everybody of us, people of Tajikistan, are obliged to respectfully treat our great historical achievements of independence, freedom and national accord and take care of them, to be forward-thinking and love our Homeland like we love our Mothers. Every citizen of our country disregard their ethnicity, views and political belief should understand that the future development of society, its desires and dreams can be translated into reality only within a strong peace, independence, freedom and national accord.

Currently we witness horrible tragic events taking place in various corners of the world. As a result of expansion of extremist and terrorist groups’ activities the future existence of individual states becomes doubtful. Horrifying terrorist acts have been taking place even in developed countries. Observation of the situation of people leaving their residence areas and homelands to save their and their children’s lives, people escaping to peaceful and safe countries, thousands of whom become victims in this pathway, makes every adequate person think about it. Correct understanding of national and State interests, honor of our homeland and pride for it are very important for state security, peace and stability in the society, further strengthening of independence and freedom, national accord and development and flourishment of our beloved country, i.e. high national sense and pride of being a citizen of Tajikistan as the backbone factor for unification of our society should be play a significant role in the mind and thinking of every individual.

I also would like to recall that we should be cautious in difficult circumstances in the contemporary world, not to be victim of intrigues and promises by various vest outside forces and preserve our integrity and unity for the sake of independence, freedom and future progress of our homeland.

I am proud of brave and constructive people of Tajikistan and I am fully confident that with the support of our wise people we will overcome all difficulties in our life, reach the desires and initiatives we commenced thanks to our dedicated efforts, strengthen our national statehood and ensure development of our independent country.

I am convinced that integrity and unity as the sources of happiness and welfare of the Tajik people, development of democratic, law-based and secular state will always remain holy, sound and strong and will enlighten our pathway towards the implementation of our life-changing plans and objectives.

There is no doubt that honest, pride and hardworking residents of Vahdat town will continue to be proactive and exemplary in terms of development of our beloved country, strengthening of our ancient nation’s unity and integrity.

Let me once again offer my congratulations to the noble people of Tajikistan and all of you, distinguished participants, on the occasion of the National Unity Day. May I wish our beloved country eternal peace, stability and rest!

May the Sun of peace and unity, friendship and fraternity always shine on the sky of free and independent Tajikistan!

May the unity and integrity of the ancient, peace-loving and civilized Tajik people remain forever!

Happy National Unity Day, distinguished compatriots!