Each state, each nation is strong first of all for its intellectual potential, high spirituality
The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Republic of Turkey on February 19-20, 2020 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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On February 20, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting with heads of leading Turkish companies and banks, in Ankara. The event was attended by heads of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TICA), Gebze Organized Industrial Zone, Ziraat Bank and Zorlu Holding, Coşkunöz Holding, Exachibashi, Baykar, Dünyagöz, Kanimed Saglik, Bau Global and Havelsan.
The Head of the state noted that during the talks with the President of Turkey, they agreed to fully support business contacts between the two countries.
“Uzbekistan is not the same as before. Today, a company entering into our country will definitely benefit. I guarantee it. Necessary legal and institutional conditions will be created for this”, assured Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
It has become a tradition for President of the country to hold meetings with businesspeople during foreign visits. A similar one took place during the state visit to Turkey in 2017. In 2018, the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey attended joint business forum in Tashkent. As a result of these events, the trust between the business community has increased, trade-economic and investment partnership have intensified.
In recent years, the trade turnover has increased by more than two times. The number of joint ventures has increased by almost a thousand. The volume of cargo transportation has increased.
Today, Turkish companies operate in Uzbekistan’s construction, energy, textiles, agriculture, food processing, tourism and service sectors. Constant attention to implementation of joint investment projects, promotion of high-value-added products in free economic and small industrial zones is an important factor of effective partnership.
Thus, in 2019, the second steam-gas installation of Navoi Thermal Power Plant was put into operation with participation of Turkey’s Calik Enerji.
Since 1993, TICA Representative Office has been operating in Uzbekistan, which has actively participated in implementation of a number of projects aimed at strengthening material-technical base of medical and educational institutions, development of agriculture, small and medium-sized business.
Tourism is one of the important areas of cooperation. Thanks to introduction of a visa-free regime for Turkish citizens and creation of favorable conditions for pilgrimage tourism, the number of tourists fr om Turkey has increased significantly. Additional flights were launched on Samarkand – Istanbul air route.
The importance of full-scale implementation of reached and signed agreements, active promotion of joint projects in trade, innovation, energy, infrastructure development, transport, tourism, textile, food industry and others was noted at the meeting.
Turkish business community representatives noted that they visited Uzbekistan last year and witnessed changes in all sectors of the economy, “reformist thinking” among people. They expressed their desire to enter Uzbekistan’s market and implement joint promising projects.
Issues of further strengthening relations between ministries and companies of the two countries were discussed, specific projects on expanding the supply of products and services, organization of clinics and higher education institutions were considered at the meeting. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved these plans and instructed responsible officials to start practical work as soon as possible and implement projects without bureaucratic obstacles.
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On February 20, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the opening ceremony of the Nation’s Library under the President of the Republic of Turkey, in Ankara.
The library was built on the initiative of the leader of this country, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. By the amount of the book fund (4 million printed publications and over 120 million electronic files) and the level of equipment, it is one of the most advanced in the world. The building’s location, next to the Presidential Palace, emphasizes its significance.
The opening ceremony was attended by about two thousand guests from all over the world – scientists, writers, representatives of the spheres of education and culture, statesmen and public figures. Shavkat Mirziyoyev was the only highest-ranking guest invited by the President of Turkey.
And this is for a reason. After all, the Head of the state is known for his love of books, special attention to promoting reading. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has forwarded a number of international initiatives regarding enlightenment, education, upbringing youth. Another indication of the high importance of enlightenment was the announcement of the current year in Uzbekistan as the Year of Science, Enlightenment and Digital Economy Development.
The President of Uzbekistan addressed the opening ceremony of the event.
The Head of the state thanked for the invitation to this important and solemn event, congratulated the fraternal Turkish people on the new library.
“Each state and each nation in the world is strong first of all for its intellectual potential, high spirituality. And the source of this invincible power is books and libraries – the great discovery of mankind”, said President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The Uzbek and Turkish peoples share common historical roots and spiritual values. The legacy of Imam Bukhari, Beruni, Khorezmi, Ibn Sina, Jaloliddin Rumi, Yunus Emro, Alisher Navoi played an important role in the national upsurge of our peoples. Kazizade Rumi taught in Samarkand, Ali Qushchi spent the rest of his life in Istanbul. Our ancestors, the Jadids Abdurauf Fitrat, Muhammadsharif Sufizade, Said Ahrori and others studied in Turkey.
University named after Abu Reikhan Beruni operates in Istanbul. The book collections of Turkey contain more than 100 manuscripts of Alisher Navoi.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that modern schools, scientific and enlightenment centers are opening in Uzbekistan.
International research centers of Imam Bukhari in Samarkand and Imam Termezi in Surkhandarya have been organized, schools of hadith, kalom, aqida, Sufism and fiqh are operating. The Center of Islamic Civilization is being built in Tashkent, which will present a centuries-old spiritual heritage and carry out fundamental research.
This year, Uzbekistan will host events on the occasion of anniversaries of great thinkers Abduholiq Gijduvani and Bahouddin Naqshband’s birth, and the 145th anniversary of Mahmudhoji Behbudi’s birth will be celebrated. It is also planned to hold a number of international events in connection with the announcement of Bukhara as the Capital of the Islamic Culture and Khiva as the Capital of Turkic World Culture.
The Head of the state invited Turkish scholars, literary critics and religious scholars to attend these cultural and enlightenment events. He noted that over 100 thousand rare manuscripts are stored in Uzbekistan, most of which are awaiting their researcher.
The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked the President of Uzbekistan and his spouse for participating in this joyful event.
“To us, Uzbekistan is the most important of our springs of life which feed our world of knowledge, wisdom and culture and wh ere scholars that shape our vision for civilization grow up. And, this very climate of knowledge has equally fed and enriched Tashkent and Ankara, Samarkand and Konya, Bukhara and Bursa, and Khiva and Edirne for ages. I believe, on this meaningful day, we are giving a very important message to the world about our shared civilization by inaugurating the Nation’s Library with Mr. President”, said the President of Turkey.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented the library with a copy of the rarest in the world Uthman Quran, copied by Uzbek calligraphers, facsimile copies of “Masnavi” by Jaloliddin Rumi and Abu Bakr Ar-Razi’s Classification of Diseases, album-book “Facsimile of Alisher Navoi’s works from Istanbul libraries”, as well as the book “Ulmas Kungul” – a collection of Yunus Emro’s poems translated into Uzbek.
In addition, over 350 books on various themes were donated to the Nation’s Library under the President of Turkey.
Heads of state got acquainted with the book exhibition and activity of the library.
Thereupon, the visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Turkey has ended. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has seen off the President of Uzbekistan at Ankara Esenboğa Airport.
UzA