DUSHANBE, 29.08.2025 (NIAT Khovar) – During the period of state independence, self-knowledge and self-awareness, protection of the country’s borders and homeland, revival of ancient traditions and customs, and appreciation for the humanistic works of writers and scientists of the past of the Tajik people gained new momentum through the scientific and literary policy of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon.

In this regard, the goal of the noble initiative of presenting every family of the country with the incomparable “Shohnoma» (Shahname) by Abulqosim Firdavsi and holding the Republican Competition «Shohnomakhoni» (Shahname Recital) in 2026 is to ensure that our culture-loving people become even more aware of the glorious past of their nation, appreciate the statehood of the past and present of the land and the values ​​of state independence in the modern era, and strive for the bright future of their land.

The content and essence of this literary masterpiece familiarizes the reader with important creative values ​​such as hard work, studies and analyses, historical and cultural research, the use of noble words, various images of nature, the struggles of warriors and kings to protect the borders and homeland, the pride of patriotism, the great Aryan heroism, and the like.

The Republican Competition «Shohnomakhoni» will be held in 2026 in honor of the 35th anniversary of our sacred national holiday — the State Independence of the Republic of Tajikistan, with the aim of comprehensively strengthening national identity, paying tribute to the glorious history of the Tajik nation, conducting a deep and comprehensive study of the worthy deeds of our ancestors throughout history, strengthening the sense of national self-awareness and self-knowledge, reviving historical memory, and thus better understanding the role of the ancient and culturally diverse Tajik nation in the development of human civilization, which is reflected with irrefutable evidence and relying on scientific and historical sources in the invaluable and enduring work of the sage Abulqosim Firdavsi — «Shohnoma».

The aforementioned competition is open to the population of the country, including students of secondary schools, students of primary, secondary and higher vocational schools, teachers of all levels of education, workers of culture and art, adults, representatives of various professions and other segments of the population of the country and foreign citizens, with the exception of affiliated and regular members of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, scientists and researchers who have conducted research or written and defended scientific theses on the «Shohnoma» of the illustrious Abulqosim Firdavsi.

The competition consists of four rounds, the first round will be held in March 2026 and the fourth round, i.e. the final round, will be held and concluded in the first half of December at the National Library of Tajikistan.

The direct patron of the competition is the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, and 2 million 660 thousand somoni will be allocated from the Reserve Fund of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan to award the winners of the competition.

At the same time, in accordance with this order, the executive bodies of the state power of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, Sughd and Khatlon provinces, the city of Dushanbe, and cities and districts of republican subordination are responsible for organizing and holding the first, second, and third rounds of the competition at a high level and are obliged to provide material and moral encouragement to the winners and their teachers.