EVENING OF FRIENDSHIP

A cultural programme devoted to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China took place in the Istiqlol palace of arts on 18 January.

This evening of friendship and art was arranged jointly by the council of societies of friendship and cultural enlightenment links of Uzbekistan with foreign countries, the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Uzbekistan and the republican international cultural centre.

The state anthems of the two countries were played. Those who made speeches especially noted that cooperation between the two countries was developing consistently in all its spheres and that agreements reached at meetings between the heads of the two states served as an important legal basis for that.

“A Chinese proverb says the more you have friends the broader is your path. Uzbekistan is China’s close friend and strategic partner. We are in favour of further developing these mutual relations. I am sure that this festive event will further strengthen the friendship, mutual trust and respect between our peoples,” says the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Uzbekistan, Sun Lijie.

The Uzbek-Chinese cooperation is developing consistently in all its spheres, including in the cultural-humanitarian area. In 2005, Confucius Institute was opened in Tashkent. And today more than 350 people study there. Since the founding of the institute, more than 2.5 thousand people have attended its training courses.

In the 2012-2013 academic year, the studying of the Uzbek language was initiated at Beijing Foreign Studies University. On 15 May 2013, Uzbekistan Research and Educational Exchange Center was opened at Shanghai University’s institute of public diplomacy of the SCO. The Uzbekistan-China friendship society, founded in 1998, and the PRC-Central Asia friendship society, founded in 2007, play an important role in further strengthening cultural relations between the countries.

“As part of fruitful cooperation between our countries, I studied in such towns as Lanzhou, Dalian and Xiamen and raised my teaching qualifications. Today’s concert is further evidence of the firmness of our friendship,” says Nigina Rasuleva, doctoral student at the Chinese language and literature department of Shanghai University.

During the event, a documentary film was shown devoted to the development of Uzbek - Chinese friendship.

The evening’s concert programme included Eastern and Khorazm dances performed by the national dance ensemble “Sabo”, songs entitled “Eternal Friendship”, “I and my Motherland”, “Friend” and “The Native Territory” performed by M.Toshmatov, people’s artiste of Uzbekistan, R.Mirzakamolova and G.Nurmetova, winners of international contests, performances of members of the wushu section at the Chinese national cultural centre, “Lion dance” and a song entitled “Shine bright, Tashkent!” performed by Fan Yingchuan.

UzA