Tajikistan celebrates its 16-th anniversary of the Independence Day and 800 birth anniversary of Mowlana Jaloluddini Balkhi
(Address by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan)

 

This year was blazed with a number of important events for our independent Tajikistan - 10th anniversary of signing the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord, 16-th anniversary of state Independence and 800 birth anniversary of Movlana Jaloluddini Balkhi.
Today, alongside with a sacred and Grand National holiday - the state Independence Day we celebrate the birth anniversary of one of the greatest sons of Tajik nations Jaloluddini Balkhi, which is also being celebrated on international level according to UNESCO decision.
Although these two historical dates are far from timing point of view, but as for as context and national meaning concern, they have logical coincidence, because they reflect the independence and freethinking, unity and self-determination, reality and self-knowledge of Tajik people.
Thereupon, I would like to congratulate all of you - dear compatriots and distinguished guests, as well as all Persian speaking Tajiks of the world with these great nation-wide holidays and wish all of you every success and happiness.
The State Independence, achieved by Tajikistan sixteen years ago, is a result of hard and long-lasting efforts of Tajik people in its historical way. Thought for independence and attempts to achieve this win were always alive in the minds of our nation for the thousand years.
Freedom-loving spirit of our ancestors - Tajiks, activity of policymakers, tactful intelligentsia and patriotic warlords in the name of independence of the Motherland imprinted in eternal works of scientists during the history of our nation.
Today, with the will of history we may not only see the fulfillment of thousands years wishes of our ancestors, but we building our state that already has its place and role in the world.
In this regard, the State Independence for us - Tajiks is one of the sacred achievements that we value most of all.
At the present time, the strengthening of independence and countries bases, upgrading the level and living standard of the people has a vital significance for us.

Because during the last decades a scientific-technical progress and enforcing globalization process have created completely new environment for people and established a new structure for close political, economic, social, cultural and informational relationship.
With these achievements the humanity still may not reach its distant wishes - creation of harmonious life, free from conflicts.
Vise versa, today, humanity faces new threats and difficulties, getting involved in religious conflicts and political and economic clashes.
Although the "cold war" has supposed to be ended in reality it's been intensified. The accelerating arms racing among the different countries of the world may cause threats to the security of not only one country or region but to the whole mankind.
At the same time, as I had emphasized five years ago in my annual Address to Majlisi Oli, competition is emerging among different countries aimed at penetration into the world markets, raw materials, energy and fuel sources as well as another natural resources which are the reasons for new geopolitical dividing the world and tenseness of contradiction between countries and regions.

Today, we are witnessing that due to unreasonable using of natural resources by mankind and its extreme behavior negatively influencing on ecosystem, caused ecologic and man-caused calamities, as well as climate changing and global warming and one can see their harmful results in different part of the world.
If we will take a look at this problem with seriousness, we can realize that the harm of catastrophes and accidents happened in recent years is more than all damage caused by World War II.
On this occasion, the great Mavlono had said some words which could be interpreted as a warning for people:
This world is a mountain and our behavior is a voice,
An echo will be brought through this mountain and our voice.
It is regrettably even in such circumstance the ideas of peaceful coexistence, conflict resolving are aimed at strengthening stability around the world, attempts related to political resolution of existing contradictions and other difficulties of mankind in the beginning of new era are not taken into account by some powers.
Conditions in which existed modern world today forced us to talk not about contradictions of mentalities, interests and clash of civilizations, but about friendship relations, peaceful coexistence and dialogue of civilizations.
We have to condemn and to prevent any measures threatened peaceful life of the mankind and admit constructive efforts, achievement of culture and religion of different peoples as internal part of world civilization and to respect them.
According to our opinion, only this way of protecting peace and stability around the different regions and in all over the world can provide favourable conditions for development and stability of mankind.
Our time is a time for unification of all attempts in order to resolve important issues of mankind. In such circumstances it is necessary to support effective international cooperation to prevent new global threats as terrorism, extremism, production and drugs-trafficking and organized transnational crime.
All international players should contribute in this regard.
It is therefore necessary to establish a real philosophy to find new possibilities for cooperation between countries and regions, to support dialogue of civilization, to protect peace and stability, to provide trust and confidence, to avoid religious and cultural contradictions.
The Republic of Tajikistan as a member of world community can not stay out of globalization process.
Our relationship with the countries and different regions of the world is increasing and we are broadly evolving in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian affairs.
In such conditions we have to exactly realize our goals and aims, to strengthening our historical achievements and to protect the interest of our Motherland in international arena.
Pursuing implementation of these goals particular significance is given to maintaining equal relationship and mutually profitable cooperation with the states of the region and with the developed countries of the world. In this realm, as a result of the open-door foreign policy strengthening and expanding such relationship and cooperation has been ever growing.
The adoption of the Friendship, Good-neighborhood and Cooperation Treaty, the Treaty on Good-neighborhood, Friendship and Long-term Cooperation between the member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, new quality of our relations with leading countries of the Arab world and a number of the CIS countries that due to objective and subjective reasons have ranked low, growing interest of investors to Tajikistan and the launching of a number of significant projects in various spheres of our economy is a clear example of this constructive trend.

Strengthening regional and intraregional relationship is one of the priority avenues of our foreign policy. In this regard, I stress that under present conditions, the demands to the organizations that are functioning in a post-soviet realm are ever increasing.
It is expedient that these organizations should take into account the historical basis in the course of their activity and as much as fully and efficiently employ a huge potential of cooperation of our countries through balanced, mutually beneficial and friendly relationship.
We are wishful that the upcoming summits of CIS, Eurasian Economic Cooperation and Collective Security Treaty Organization to be held in Dushanbe shall give a new impetus to this trend marking a new page in the realization of the projects of mutually benefit cooperation among our states including with the Russian Federation.
We are fully standing for our state and the whole Central Asia to prosper, for the well-being and security of their people, and support reasonable and efficient utilization of invaluable natural resources in the interests and progress of all.

The time demands utilization of existing common opportunities and potentials, expanding economic and social, cultural ties among nations, strengthening regional relations in line with the joint interests.
Therefore, we are maintaining friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial economic, trade and cultural cooperation with many neighboring states and in general with nations of the East and West, and we shall continue to do so in future as well.

Our primary task is a building of independent, law-based, democratic, secular state and creating favorable conditions for the decent life of the people.

In the course of meeting this objective democratic values in independent Tajikistan as a part of new nation-building have been endorsed in the short run and effectively contributed to reinforcing accomplishments of independency, fostering civil society and its institutions, as well as ensured the rights and freedoms of people.
Ensuring the rights and freedoms, creating conditions for labor and peaceful life, supremacy of law, upholding of justice and active participation of the people in the governing process resting on traditions and customs of national statehood, cultural and moral values and accomplishments of human civilization is a primary goal of democratic system.
Implementation of abovementioned priorities largely depends on economic growth of a nation. In this connection, we are managing to steadily attain noticeable results through expanding market economy relations and promoting sustainable national economy development.
Confronted by many problems in the first years of independence as a result of consistent implementation of national programs GDP rose by two in the ten years, and it is more than 8% higher in the eight months of the present year, still it is far from being satisfactory record.
In providing the energy independence of the country, overcoming the communication isolation and providing food security that are our strategic objectives we have achieved the promising results by constructing small and huge hydro energy stations, electricity transmission lines, tunnels, interstate highways and bridges, dozens of buildings of social infrastructure.
Workmanship and constructiveness have been accelerated in this direction this year. Namely, construction of the hydro energy station of Sangtuda 1 and Sangtuda 2, a number of small hydro energy stations, higher voltage energy transmission lines of South-North, Lolazor-Khatlon, Lolazor-Sangtuda 1 have been accelerated too. According to the plan the first aggregate of Sangtuda 1 Hydro power station will be put into operation by the end of December.

A number of concrete measures have been taken to overcome the communication isolation of the country. Construction of the separate points of highways such as Dushanbe-Khorog-Murgab, Dushanbe-Rasht-Saritosh, Dushanbe-Khujand-Chanak and tunnels of Istiqlol, Shahriston and Sharshar are rapidly going on.
A few days ago, in the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan a largest bridge of Panji Poyon - Bandari Sherkhon was given to exploitation taking into account all the interest of the countries of region and a joint efforts of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and USA.
I would like to congratulate all of you with the occurrence of this historical event which connects independent Tajikistan and its neighbor countries with South Asia and Indian Ocean.

With the purpose of improving the effectiveness of economy, export capability of the country and creating new jobs according to special state programmes on processing of agricultural products, cotton fiber and other manufacture fields as well as construction of a number of industrial enterprises are being planned and is in the process.
For the purpose of development of all economic fields of the country a number of projects and investment programs have been worked out with the amount 4 billion 600 million of somoni. We believe that with the realization of these projects our nation al economy will be more progressive.
An implementation National Development Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for the period to 2015 and Poverty Alleviation Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2007-2009 will allow providing an acceleration of economic reforms, sustainable development of national economy and gradual improvement of the living standards of the people.
With the aim of the further strengthening of new economic relationship, as well as improving today's level of protection of property rights "Law on amnesty of citizen's and juridical person's of the Republic of Tajikistan on legalization of property" has been adopted, which will be come into force very soon.
A number of strategic and priority objectives have been identified in the fields of science, education, culture and other social spheres. And today we are confident, that significant progress can be observed in the result of allocating 50 percent of the state budget into the social sphere development and within the framework of implementation of investment projects in the fields of construction and reconstruction of social infrastructure.
The "Law on Regulation of Traditions, Ceremonies and Celebrations in the Republic of Tajikistan, which was adopted and overwhelmingly supported by the society aimed at improving the quality and the living standards of people and eliminating unnecessary expenditures.
With this initiative we have provided favourable conditions for our people in order to some-how ease life burdens. At the meantime, it is necessary to ensure an implementation & strict observance of the mentioned law to regulate & put in order the customs, traditional ceremonies & celebrations.
By implementation of sustainable economic growth policy, we aimed to succeed in poverty alleviation, gradual increase of quality & level of peoples` life. And we are confident that we will succeed in solving these problems in a near future.

In the process of strengthening peace and stability, state-building and as well as state governance, we have made use of our exalted historical & cultural values, popularization of self consciousness & national pride, self-knowledge & focused our state policy on conducting & guiding peoples to the creation & prosperity of the Land of our ancestry.
In other words, we have lifted protecting, studying & teaching as well as propagating values, historic & cultural traditions to the state level. And we may see at present that a concept of independence & freedom, national unity, peace, territorial integrity, prosperity & creation of homeland are not only recognized as national ideas, but are the guiding light in mind of our Nation.
During millenniums our worldwide recognized thinkers & scientists have been constantly urging us to free-thinking & independence, self-knowledge, unity & peaceful coexistence, cooperation & creation.
One of them, Mawlana Jaloluddin from Balkh (Balkhi), being free-thinking figure & philanthropist, has made eternal ideas of unity & friendship his motto & meaning of life. He has highly valued well-educated, self-knowledge & positive person.
Interest in thoughts & ideas of the thinker & scientist has quickened especially in this stage of Tajik national statehood's revival & challenges of globalization.
His worldwide famous poetry, creative thoughts & ideas as well as his philanthropic philosophy have become popular in the East & West as well. People all over the World love his books & read them. He considers different problems of human being & other important fields of life in such wise manner that make them actual up-to-date.
The most famous books of Mawlana among them "Masnavi-i-Ma`anavi", "Divan-e-Kabeer", "Fihi-Ma-Fihi", "Mava`ezu-l-Majalesi-s-Sa`aba" & "Maktubot" are masterpieces of art & full of original Tajik values of peoples of the Great Khorasan.
His widely available & simple words are still easy to understand despite the fact that 800 years have passed through. Many people in the World, in spite of cultural & religious differences, love Mawlana`s poetry. In this regard, after 200 years of Mawlana`s death Abdurrahman Jami told:

"Masnavi-i-Ma`navi"-i Mavlavi
Hast Qur`on dar zaboni Pahlavi.

Means:

Mavlavi`s "Masnavi-i-Ma`navi"
It is Qur`on in Pahlavi language.

Mawlana is pride of us - Tajiks & all human being. He was born in the Land of todays Vakhsh & using his skill of great poet proved to all that Tajiks are really the ancient, cultured & educated nation & they are very experienced in writing of literary, scientific & philosophic works.

Mawlano's life and development of school of Mowlavia was carried out under the patronage of Saljuk sultanate that had been governing in Small Asia. As for long life blossoming of training and teaching scientific and creative activity and the last years of Jaloliddini Balkhi's life were connected with his second homeland Kuniya city, that is a territory of modern Turkey, that' s why he became famous with the names of Jaloliddini Rumi, Mawlono, Mavlavi and Mavloi Rumi.
One should be noted that the language of business correspondence and science in the state of Seljuk was Tajik and had created favourable cultural conditions for development of science, philosophy and poetry in Great Khuroson and in the territory of Iran.
Jalolidini Balkhi and his followers had played historical role not only in developing their science and culture, but in developing Turkish culture as well.
By force of speech, intellect and wisdom they made a contribution to integration of people and civilization, their ideas and principles, as well as to strengthening inter-civilization relationship and peaceful coexistence of mankind that today they are very instructive for us.
During the period of Saljuk, Islam religion played a key role in the life of society; moreover, there was no any restriction for other religions Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism.
Studies of Jalolidini Balkhi were multidimensional and it covered all the spheres of humanity. Hence, Mawlono considers that mankind is an only great and valuable creation of God and he does not divide them into race, white and black, western and eastern, Christian and Buddhist. As, the basis of "mavlaviya"s' studies proceed from Mavlono as follows: "Everywhere God is one, friend is one and is one".
When Mawlono talked about understanding of the truth, he was admonishing people to spirituality and researching of his inside world. In other words, understanding of spirituality from Mavlono's point of view is recognition the people or oneself, this is the expression of self consciousness and today special during the period of independence the phenomenon is of great importance.
Self-consciousness and understanding of national mentality are the reasons which first of all, direct us to solidarity and respect our ancient history and culture.
Mavlono Balkhi talked with the representatives of different nations and religions in Tajik, Arab and Turkish languages. Alongside with this, from Movlono's point of view a consensus and a mutual understanding are the basis of peace and stability:
To have a common heart and solidarity,
Is better than to have a common language
He raised an issue on equality of all religions in his studies and he offered the idea of religious tolerance which today is a similar with a dialogue of civilization.
Human for great thinker is best creation who considers himself neither Christianity nor Jew, neither Zoroastrianism nor Muslim, neither Western nor Eastern, neither low nor high.
Taking into account above mentioned, if Mavlono Balkhi, who put dignity of the people above all regardless of ones belonging to different nations and religions, is considered to be a founder of dialogue between West and East then, it won't be overstatement or our mistake.
After a death of Jaloliddini Balkhi the general mourning was declared in Quniya city: A great number of people followed his coffin and pray for his souls.
The other side of Mavlono's study which is very important for modern world and people is his opinion on morality.
Having leaned on the great traditions of our ancestors and all human values, Thinker stressed a goodness in his poems, concern for orphan's welfare, courtesy, as well as social justice. He wrote:

If, even 1000 times you will go on pilgrimage,
Your pilgrimage will not be admitted, if you will break a heart.

Jaloliddin Balhii Rumi is prominent and famous poet, his poems as it was mentioned earlier are very popular and he has a lot of readers of his talents in the East as well as in the West.

As, one of the well-known scientist said: "if someone from somewhere would contact us and ask us to send him 2 books as a proud card of our nation, I think "Shohnoma" of Abulqasim Firdawsi and "Masnavii ma'navi" of Mavlono could be chosen.
His immortal work has been translated into tens of the different languages of the world, and by the end of XX century it is among the ten most published and most widely read-books of our planet.
We - Tajiks together with other nations of the international community studying his scientific heritage of Jaloliddin Rumi and we agitate it and are proud of it.
In our homeland - Tajikistan, Jaloliddin Rumi is a darling of hearts of every home and his immortal poem - "Masnavii ma'navi" is an expression of Holy Qur'on in a Tajik language.
Therefore, for the memorizing of famous son of the Tajik nation and spiritual teacher of the different nations and peoples of the world Kolhozobad district of Khatlon region was recently given a name of genius Jaloliddin Rumi.
Moreover, I suggest giving a name of Jaloliddin Rumi to Central Avenue of Kurgan-Tube city and the biggest gymnasium, which will be built in a near future.
Taking into consideration a fact, that Jalolodin Rumi is a well-known not only in Tajikistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India and other Islamic world, but as well as in the eastern and western countries, we considering a celebration of 800th Anniversary of prominent poet in a world level with initiative and support of UNESCO - as a symbol of respect to Tajik son and common values of humanity.
The highest values of Independence, humanism, liberty, striving for study, unity, friendship, which had been singed by our cultural heritage, including Jaloliddin Rumi, guide us and world community to bride future and peaceful life.
Therefore, in these pleasant moments I'm proudly saying that long live national independent and the state of the nation which gave life to such great thinker for the world!
Long live Mavlono Jaloliddin Rumi's name and his cultural treasure!
Let a light of independence and immortal masterpiece of Mavlono will serve for us Tajiks as a guiding star for our new winning!.