13/05/11 - Soul glorious, memory sacred in this august land

Дата публикации: Jan 15, 2012 12:42:5 PM

Pronounced on President Islam Karimov’s initiative, 9 May – Day of Memory and Glory is widely celebrated in Uzbekistan as a nation-wide holiday.

Everything on this sacred land and every endeavor serves the people, their interests and aspirations. This earnest goal has rested decisively in Uzbek people’s life during the nation’s independent development years. It has found its solid expression in our compatriots’ spirit as the principal thread of steadfast reforms and the country’s development path in general. Since Uzbekistan has today become a great independent nation where human life, human freedoms, dignity, and esteem are attached a high regard.

Commemoration and glorification of those who lived and served this blessed soil is one of the ages-old traditions and splendid virtues of the Uzbek people. Those who fought for the peace, harmony, freedom and liberty of this nation have always been at the forefront of honoring by the living generations. Venerating and immortalizing the memory of forefathers who displayed exemplary courage and heroism, who sacrificed their lives on battlegrounds, as much as the saintly mothers who endured tough times with incredible perseverance – affording them care and consideration has enriched this tradition with new sense and significance during independence years.

This new meaning and essence has been more clearly evident in organizing ceremonial events devoted to the Day of Memory and Glory, in tribute and respect paid for the selfless compatriots who protected our nation’s free and prosperous life with valor and audacity.

Notably, President Islam Karimov’s April 22, 2011, Decree ordering to support World War II veterans has come to be another bright reflection of reverence shown toward participants of war. The directive established to ceremonially honor the veterans in every other town and district, village and neighborhood with cash reward.

Official commemorative events timed to the Day of Memory and Glory with President Karimov attending the occasion took place in the morning of May 9, in Tashkent. Veterans of war and work, members of government, deputies and senators, military service people, public figures gathered at the Memory Square in the heart of Uzbekistan’s capital from very early hours of this day, with tender music on air at the square.

The head of state laid wrath to the Monument of Mourning Mother under the sounds of military orchestra. Islam Karimov paid tribute to the memory of thousands of fellow countrymen and women who perished in the Second World War.

“Today, the entire nation marks the 66th anniversary of the great victory over Nazism”, President of Uzbekistan declared. “First and foremost, I express my heartfelt greetings to war veterans who live beside us safe and sound, to our dear honored ones, and all our compatriots on this sacred date.

“Starting from the year 1999, we celebrate the 9th of May as the Day of Memory and Glory. Notions of commemoration and glorification have long been an integral part of our nation’s consciousness and cultural verve, so long as one can hardly imagine a human being oblivious and insensible to the history of their own people, and of oneself in the end.”

President Islam Karimov pointed out that the Uzbek people refer to commemoration as a sacred feeling inherent deep in their “very veins and bones”. Undeniable as it is, paying tribute to those in the kingdom of heaven has been a solemn practice for our people from times immemorial.

According to the head of state, historical commemoration implies primarily the meaning of life, the sense of succession between generations. It means learning the lessons and making appropriate conclusions from events of bygone days for the ones to come. It means delivering the feeling of respect and reverence for the ancestors to one’s children and their state of mind.

“Our people are going to keep the memory of the Second World War, its victims and injuries, forever. The long-suffering Uzbek nation got deprived of its ablest and greatest sons at the war,” Islam Karimov suggested.

Uzbekistan had approximately 6.5 million inhabitants at the dawn of War. One and a half million subsequently left for combat. Except for babies and children, women and the elderly, in excess of 40 percent of Uzbekistan’s population took up arms and fought battles. Significantly, that nearly 500,000 of our fellow countrymen – or 30% of all war participants from this land – fell in the brutal bloodbath is indicative of how important the Victory has been to the Uzbeks, of how enormous the contribution of Uzbekistan’s people was to the effort to overwhelm Nazism.

President Islam Karimov said he would like – or even demand – that no one forget this truth.

“I am confident that those courageous and daring compatriots went to fight and die to protect their Motherland, their people, their parents, loved ones and dearest kids, friends.

“That is the reason why the heavy blow, the incurable wound caused by that horrible war is never going to wipe away from our memory. There is scarcely any family, any household in this country who had no one of them to go to that war, who did not suffer incredible grief and pain. That disastrous slaughter left myriads of soldiers disabled, wives widowed, and kids as orphans.”

As the head of state put it, this day has all of us standing with our heads down, bowing to the sweet memory of those who perished in the War with dignity, and those heroes who labored strenuously day and night behind the front.

“In a word, the true meaning of memory is that it shall always remind us of the ever taxing days and inconceivable difficulties that we and our ancestors have had to go through to reach today’s peaceful and harmonious and free life, these bright days.

“Today’s commemorative holiday is critical also in making us exhibit due reverence to each other, and above all to the war veterans living with us.”

More than 8,600 participants of war currently live in Uzbekistan. All of us, and leaders first and foremost, “should not forget that it is our duty to do our best to make life for the dear veterans longer, more meaningful, to demonstrate warm care and compassion to them, not merely on this day, but also every other time,” President Karimov insisted.

Crucially, the Day of Memory and Glory ought to remind us time and again to be constantly vigilant and cautious in these turbulent times, to value our peaceful life, clear skies, the leader of Uzbekistan suggested. “In this respect, we should bear in mind the ongoing conflicts and confrontations taking place in some countries. For instance, the neighboring Afghanistan has suffered war for more than thirty years.

“We ought to draw lessons from these kinds of conflicts, all of us must find our sacred duty to further consolidate the peace and inter-ethnic harmony reigning in this country. Tolerance, sympathy and compassion are the greatest wealth of our people, ones that we should always cherish.

“As we talk of goals and objectives we set out to achieve, of gaining a well-deserved place among the world’s most advanced democratic nations, it is imperative that we nurture our youth in the spirit of national idea, as a generation second to no one.

“During my recent trip to Surkhandarya region, I had a chat with young people and felt the imposing sense of pride and delight at the sight of our juvenile boys and girls with their flaring eyes, their spirits full of energy, vigor and inspiration. The same feelings occurred to me when subsequently watching the Barkamol Avlod (Comprehensively Advanced Generation) sports games on TV, along with every one else.”

President Islam Karimov added, “We all take pleasure in seeing the latest knowledge and modern worldview, solid sense of self-esteem, resolute aspiration to live with highest possible inspirations embed into our growing generation’s inner world.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate again all war veterans, our dearest elderly, and our entire people on this blessed holiday. I wish all compatriots peace and wellbeing, the best of luck and happiness,” Islam Karimov said.

A symbol of our people’s courage and heroism, selflessness and endurance, the Monument of Mourning Mother has come to be flooded with fine-looking flowers on this day. Toward the end of day, the sanctified square got crowded with pilgrims keen to pay due tribute to the memory of compatriots who sacrificed themselves for Motherland’s peace and liberty, for the bright future of their posterity.

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On the same day, President Islam Karimov traveled to Alisher Navoi Uzbekistan National Library’s new building being erected in the center of the country’s capital to review the ongoing construction works.

Built on the initiative and idea of the head of state, the edifice is unique in its architectural engineering solution.

“This structure must be robust and luxurious enough to the extent it can serve the current generation and posterity”, President of Uzbekistan persisted.

UzA