21.10.2019

In the International Congress Center that opened its doors recently in Tashkent City, a festive occasion took place on October 21 in tribute to the thirtieth anniversary of granting the Uzbek the status of state language.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the event.

The head of our state congratulated the audience and by extension all the people of Uzbekistan on this significant date.

“Uzbek, one of the oldest and richest languages, is a symbol of national identity and independence, a grand spiritual value. Anyone wishing to feel the splendor, charm and wealth of our language, its infinite opportunities, may listen to the lullabies of our mothers, ancient dastans and makoms, songs of our hafizes and bakhshi,” the President suggested.

Uzbek is a major Turkic language. It is spoken by almost 50 million people around the world.

The totalitarian system saw attempts to displace Uzbek. But our people succeeded in carefully preserving the native language, the national pride. Owing to noble endeavors of the devoted intelligentsia, not indifferent to the fate of our language, the parliament passed a law on 21 October 1989 that afforded the Uzbek the status of state language.

Thirty years on, today, another historic step is taken: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on measures to radically bolster the role and authority of the Uzbek as the state language. The document declares October 21 as the Uzbek language holiday in our country. The wider public, all the people of Uzbekistan took this news with great joy.

In his speech, the head of our state noted the need to further augment the standing of the state language in the life of society and upgrade the Law on State Language building on contemporary requirements. The President then outlined pressing issues in this area. 

“We should consider our attitude to the state language as an attitude to our independence, while devotion and respect for it as devotion and respect for the Motherland. This should become the rule of our life,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. “And every one of us must start this noble effort from ourselves, from our family and our working team.”

The festive assembly was attended by deputies and senators, government members, state and public figures, the diplomatic corps, language scholars, teachers and youth.