June 2, 2014
To Participants of Barkamol Avlod Sports Games. 2
Modern Civilization and its Heritage. 3
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
POLICY
To Participants of Barkamol Avlod Sports Games
My dear sons and daughters!
I am greatly honored to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart, your esteemed coaches and mentors, parents and friends on the grand event in the life of Uzbekistan – the opening ceremony of the Barkamol Avlod Games, a genuine festival of youth, beauty and sports – and wish you all a sound health and happiness, the best of luck and every success and victory.
I am sincerely glad to express my deep respect to the hard-working and hospitable Namangan people who know well the value of such gracious qualities as kindness and humanism, and who have prepared thoroughly for these competitions and met you with wide embrace on the transformed land of Namangan, which has become even more elegant these days, and all those who have gathered at this magnificent stadium.
My dear children!
Today we are building a new state, new society in Uzbekistan. We have embarked to achieve great ends, namely, to join the ranks of the advanced democratic nations, to secure growth in living standards and wellbeing of our people, be capable of protecting our freedom and independence, and occupy a well-deserved place in the world community. For sure, we all are well aware of these critical objectives.
Without any doubt, achievement of such noble goals requires from every one of us intricate and painstaking efforts, selfless and cohesion in our steadfast follow of the path chosen by us, and it demands that we overcome tremendous tests.
I would like to draw your attention to one more important observation. The most crucial and pivotal condition and factor in the accomplishment of the high ends we have set is, first and foremost, our physically healthy and spiritually mature young generation that is inferior to no one in anything and that lives with proudly elevated heads and the sense of dignity, that is capable of assuming responsibility for the fate and future of the Motherland. It is the thousands and thousands of young men and women, boys and girls, our children, like you who have assembled here at this festively decorated stadium.
In building our great future that we dream of and aspire to reach, we see you, the youths, as our greatest hope and the most solid foundation. We are all glad that a modern system of education and upbringing is created in Uzbekistan that has aroused keen interest and admiration in other countries; so are the corresponding education institutions. As it is widely known, following graduation from the nine-year general school our children continue their studies for three years in more than 1,500 state-of-the-art lyceums and colleges erected in villages and towns. At these education institutions they are provided with all the opportunities for attaining advanced knowledge and achievements of progress, two or three professions, learning foreign languages, commanding the internet and information and communication technologies, which allows for training highly qualified specialists at the level of contemporary requirements.
Crucially, after graduating from lyceums and colleges, our young men and women – with a greater sense of love and devotion for the Motherland that is cemented in their souls during their studies – are prepared for independent life, for those qualities that allow them to occupy a worthwhile place in society.
I feel convinced that every one of you, having become a graduate of such an education institution where they obtain not only knowledge, but also an occupation, will live with an understanding that you have been raised in a free country and that you have been shaped as a personality inferior to no one in anything. Well aware that their future is in their own hands, they will tsrive to meet the confidence of parents, Motherland and people.
Distinguished participants of the competitions!
I believe it would not be an exaggeration to say that today our young generation that has been growing comprehensively advanced does not see its life, its future without sports.
I well understand what efforts you have undertaken, along with attainment of knowledge and professions and displaying love for sports, to demonstrate your willpower and mastery, training and overcoming much difficulty to win the right to participate in the final round of this “minor Olympics” that has included all the principles and peculiarities of Olympics. The very conquest of them by you is a huge victory without any doubt.
I well imagine well how you, along with attainting knowledge and professions, displaying love for sports, have undertaken efforts by demonstrating willpower and mastery, having trained diligently and overcome numerous difficulties to win the right to the finals of the “minor Olympics” that has embodied all the principles and peculiarities of the Olympics. The very accomplishment of such achievements by you is indisputably a big victory.
In excess of 700 thousand students took part in the qualifier rounds of the Barkmol Avlod Games 2011, while 810 thousand young people participated in the Games 2014, another indication of the enhancing scales of these competitions and the tense sports struggle stunning the spirit.
All of us are well aware that any achievement, any success, especially victory in the world of sports, do not come simply. Victory at a sports arena is first of all the triumph of the human being over oneself who has mobilized all his/her capacities to achieve to the goals.
With confidence one can say that every our young athlete who has been making initial steps into the world of big sports equals hundreds of well-renowned athletes of Uzbekistan who raise our flag high at the international arenas.
Among them we are proud to cite the names of such our talented athletes as the boxing world champion Bektemir Melikuziev, the winner of the international tournament in ping pong Tohir Salimov, the silver medal winner of the judo world championship Sarvar Shomurodov, the prize winner of the world chess championship Mohinur Kahramonova, winners of international tournaments in boxing, tennis, weightlifting, ping pong Sunnatilla Bahodirov, Humoyun Sultonov, Otakhon Imomov, and Saidakhon Kazakova, and prize winners of the Asia Championship in Greco-Roman wrestling, taekwondo and judo fighters Kamariddin ZAiniddinov, Temur Hakimov and Ghafur Aktamov.
My dear sons and daughters!
Wishing you the best of luck in the competitions, which, I am confident, will become a bright page in your lives, will be held in the spirit of tense and fair struggle, in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual respect, I would like to reiterate one truth.
On the way of high achievements we have set out to make we will definitely accomplish our goals by steadily implementing our programs that have gained acknowledgement across the world, by securing high growth rates, building up force and might of our beautiful country and transforming its inimitable appearance, and crucially, relying on you, my dear children, mounting as the decisive force that are willing to hold dialogue on equal stands and contend in various spheres with fellows from advanced nations. There can be no doubt in this.
My wish and direction in this is that always deserve the love and confidence of our Motherland, our people, always take the highest goal to achieve, strive for knowledge and discovery, be persistent and goal-minded, my dear ones!
Taking this opportunity, on my behalf and of all the people I would express sincere gratefulness to the builders, architects and engineers who took part in the execration of such beautiful modern sports complexes and social infrastructure facilities, to contractor and sponsor organizations, residents of Namangan and all those who have made their contribution to the gracious endeavors in holding the Barkamol Avlod Games at the highest level.
I congratulate you once and again on this sporting festival and wish you all every success and new accomplishments.
Islam Karimov,
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “THE HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF SCIENTISTS AND THINKERS OF THE MEDIEVAL EAST, ITS ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE MODERN CIVILIZATION”
Modern Civilization and its Heritage
The correspondence between Avicenna and Beruni on the credibility of facts and arguments covered by Aristotle in his book ‘On the Heavens’ is one of numerous proofs that each of the cultures of East and West has its own way. Meanwhile, scientists have a rich evidence base which proves that the processes of mutual enrichment were promoted by the Indian Road and the Silk Road. This was highlighted at the international conference on ‘The Historical Legacy of Scientists and Thinkers of the Medieval East, its Role and Importance for Modern Civilization’, which was attended by representatives from thirty countries. It clearly demonstrated that the heritage of thinkers of the East is priceless for the whole of modern mankind.
It is symbolic that Samarqand was the venue of such a big forum, a rare one for the modern world. Throughout three millennia of history it has been a crossroad of civilizations and cultures. The ancient and eternally young city is known for its rich history and unique monuments of the past. The guests visited the Ulughbek Observatory, a museum and reserve of Afrosiyob, the Registan Square and other sites of cultural and spiritual heritage, which added a special atmosphere, a deep understanding of the scientific heritage of outstanding scholars and thinkers of the medieval East, and helped to estimate their role and place in the history of modern civilization.
Delivering a welcoming speech at the conference, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, emphasized: “I believe it is important to afford a new potent impetus to the further intensive research and promotion of their (scholars of the medieval East – editor’s note) genuinely invaluable scientific heritage, to reveal the relevance and demand in the discoveries they made for the contemporary science and progress. The history of the medieval East suggests that the boom in culture and education, medicine, literature, arts and architecture, the emergence of schools of thought, the inflow and generation of talents was conditioned by intensive economic, agricultural and urban development, the high level of craftsmanship and commerce, construction of roads and laying out new caravan routes and, most importantly, by maintaining of relative stability.
From this perspective, I would like to underscore that scientific progress would be impossible without stability. It promotes the establishment of academies, higher education institutions and, most importantly, it draws the interest to education; the people strive for advancement and promotion. It is all possible solely in the conditions of calmness and stability, when people do not expect problems and cataclysms when going to bed. This truth has been proved throughout many centuries and ages.”
The conference spotlighted a contribution to the development of civilization of scientists, philosophers, thinkers, poets and public figures of the scientific and cultural uprise in the 9-12th and in 14-15th centuries in Central Asia, which had a favorable impact on regeneration processes in other regions of the globe. The participants scrutinized the contribution of a pleiad of scholars who successfully worked at Academy of Ma’mun in Khiva in the 9th-11th centuries, and at Ulughbek school in Samarqand in the 15th century.
Reports of domestic and foreign researchers have demonstrated a high interest in the works of Uzbek scholars, both at home and abroad, and their high significance for the development of science at the present stage.
It is hard to imagine a modern system of training including designers and operators of modern appliances and devices, as well as young researchers on the threshold of their great inventions, without the knowledge of the discoveries of al-Khorezmi, Ulughbek, Beruni, and other scientists.
Foreign guests learned about the national education system. It is no coincidence that it draws the interest of international community: in 2012, the World Intellectual Property Organization and INSEAD, the world’s leading international business school, conducted a research, according to which Uzbekistan ranked the 53rd among 141 countries in the level of development of the human capital, and the fifth in the level of development of the education system, including the share of funds allocated for educational purposes. As a follow up of the introduction of a twelve-year compulsory education system, boys and girls enter their independent life secured by profession and specialty. The participants of the forum learned about the conditions of training of young specialists in Samarqand Automobile College and College of Light Industry and Entrepreneurship.
As reported, over the years of independence the number of universities has almost doubled and reached 60. Uzbekistan was one of the first in the CIS space to introduce the study of foreign languages from the first grade. Together with foreign partners Uzbekistan is launching higher education and research institutions. For instance, this year marks the commissioning of the High Technology Center in collaboration with Cambridge University, and the Inha University in Tashkent.
The conference has proved that the scientific heritage of outstanding scientists and thinkers of the medieval East is a legacy of both the nation and the whole mankind. To date, a huge reserve of scientific heritage, great discoveries of geniuses of the medieval East have not been fully explored, and require the further study. Uzbekistan alone stores more than 100,000 manuscripts. Yet more materials are available in the library stock of many European and Asian countries.
Exact sciences
Scientists of the medieval East made an immense contribution to the development of exact sciences, in the formation and development of modern sciences like astronomy, mathematics, geography and geodesy. Scientists of world’s famous Academy of Ma’mun made an enormous contribution to the development of abovementioned subject areas. Al-Khorezmi created algebra as a science, developed clear rules of presentation of scientific information and treatises, wrote numerous works on astronomy, geography, and climate theory. He was the first to prove and practice the decimal positional numeration, the zero mark and polar coordinates, making them a turning point in mathematics and astronomy. Al-Khorezmi’s credits in the development of world science are widely recognized, his name and works are immortalized in modern scientific terms such as ‘algorithm’ and ‘algebra’.
It is no coincidence that natural science historians worldwide call the 11th century the ‘age of Beruni’.
The outstanding thinker Abu Rayhon Beruni was the first to propose the original theory of the seas and build a spherical globe of the Earth, to calculate the Earth’s radius, explain the existence of vacuum. Prior 500 years to Columbus, he predicted the existence of the continent behind the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, developed a classification of minerals and the theory of their origin, as well as laid the foundations of geodesy.
The participants of the forum drew attention to the fundamental Ahmad al-Ferghani’s ‘Book on Elements of Astronomy’. The science on the world’s constitution, the size of the Earth and proofs of its sphericity were used at European universities up to the 17th century as the principal textbook in astronomy, it served as a scientific foundation for Columbus, Magellan and other travelers of the era of Great Geographical Discoveries. The invention of the astrolabe – the key astronomical instrument in the Middle Ages is among al-Ferghani’s significant achievements, as well as designing of a Nile Measurer, which was the major tool to measure the water level in the Nile River for many centuries.
Many interesting reports were dedicated to Amir Temur’s grandson Mirzo Ulughbek. He is famous not only as the governor of Samarqand, but also as a great scientist and astronomer. The code of astronomical tables with the description and location of 1,018 stars Ulughbek compiled in the 15th century was the first new catalogue of astronomical measurements in 16 centuries. He is known as a great patron of science. Followers of his school made numerous discoveries.
Natural sciences
The eminent philosopher Abu Ali Ibn Sino, known in the West as Avicenna, was a spotlight of almost all of the reports at a breakout session on scientific heritage of the scientists who have made a special contribution to the development of the natural sciences.
He is known as a great healer, one of the founders of medical science. In his invaluable fundamental ‘Canon of Medicine’ he set the main directions of development of medical disciplines for many centuries ahead and virtually laid the foundation for the basic methods of practical medicine and pharmacology that are still relevant today. It is no coincidence that this book was one of the first published in Europe in the 15th century to be a guideline for medical students in the leading European universities for nearly 500 years.
Abu Ali ibn Sino’s versatile activity earned him the well-deserved title of the ‘Islamic world’s most celebrated philosopher and scholar of encyclopedic knowledge and one of the greatest thinkers of the mankind’. Having started scientific research at the age of 16, he wrote more than 450 works, primarily in medicine and philosophy. The participants scrutinized Avicenna’s legacy in logics, chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics, music, literature and linguistics.
History and Philosophy
Philosophy and history were well developed in the East in the Middle Ages. Virtually all scholars of that time contributed to the development of these sciences along with those who profoundly studied philosophy and history.
Huge and inexhaustible stock of wisdom and humanistic cognition of the surrounding world comprises the creative heritage of such greatest philosophers, poets and enlighteners as Abu Abdulloh Rudaki, Firdousi, Nizami Ganjavi, Saadi, Hafiz Shirazi, Jomi, Alisher Navoi, Bobur, and many others, which is truly a treasury of world significance. The list of outstanding chroniclers of those days was brightened by Ahmad ibn Arabshah, Nizomiddin Shomi, Sharofiddin Ali Yazdi, Hafiz-i Abru, Khondamir, Abdurazzak Samarqandi, and others.
The scholar with encyclopedic knowledge Abu Nasr Farobi of the 10th century used to be referred to as the Aristotle of the East by his contemporaries. He enriched many sciences, evolved philosophical views of scholars of various countries, and wrote more than 160 works.
The ‘Word on Substance’, ‘The Book on the Origins of Sciences’, ‘On the Meaning of Reason’ are his most renowned works. A significant part of academic works by Farobi was translated into many European and Eastern languages, and is still a subject matter of profound research.
Language and Literature
It is hard to overestimate the scientific legacy of the scholars and thinkers who made an invaluable contribution to linguistics and literature. They had a tremendous impact on both the formation of the modern Uzbek language and the development of the European culture.
The author of the history’s first Dictionary of Turkic Languages Mahmud Kashgari enriched his work with a splendid collection of Turkic proverbs and poems that make up the goldfield of the vocabulary. Kashgari is regarded as the first researcher of language, culture, ethnography, folklore of Turkic peoples.
Some reports also highlighted the activity of Mahmud Zamakhshari, a linguist, literary critic, geographer and philosopher, the father of the Arab grammar. He also was the author of the history’s first multilingual Arab-Persian-Turkic dictionary.
Alisher Navoi’s scientific heritage on language and literature is incomparable. He has earned the worldwide recognition as the founder of Uzbek literature and poetry, the great poet and the founder of a new trend in the world literature. Imbued with ideas of kindness, tolerance and humanism, his works had a huge impact on shaping the rules of the Uzbek language.
Bobur left a tangible trace in the history of mankind. Written in Turkic, Bobur’s poems are distinguished by distinct images and aphorisms. ‘Bobur-Name’ – Bobur’s main work and an autobiography – is the first specimen of this genre in the historical literature. It represents events from 1493 to 1529, vividly recreates the details of everyday life of the nobility, manners and customs of the era.
The conference has undoubtedly become a bright event to promote and preserve the priceless heritage of scientists and thinkers of the medieval East. The reports covered the contribution of solely significant personalities, their discoveries and achievements. It is expected to generate the further in-depth study of poorly researched multifaceted heritage, and use it for the benefit of all mankind.
High Interest
Eiji Mano,
Professor, Rukoku University (Japan):
The conference has demonstrated the popularity of the heritage of the medieval East scholars in different countries. I spoke about the demand for Bobur’s books and works in Japan. Three researchers wrote on the works of this outstanding thinker and poet prior to me. In 1981, I published a critical article, and later on a book for scientists, where I estimated the works of the authors who wrote about Bobur in Japanese. I saw the demand for it. This prompted me to write a small booklet on Bobur available for a wide range of readers. It has become popular. The reader is interested in learning not only about the life of the great poet and ruler, but in his main work of ‘Boburname’. So it was a pleasure for me to tell about my contribution to the promotion of heritage of thinkers of the medieval East, and learn about related works of scientists from other countries.
Manuscripts to be Digitized
Talal bin Muhammad al-Balushi,
Director for International Relations, National Research Centre of the Sultanate of Oman:
The contribution of scientists of the medieval East to world civilization is immense. Today, manuscripts are the main source of ancient knowledge. Being a common heritage of mankind due to their importance for the world’s science, they should be available for research to all comers. The stock of manuscripts of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan is the largest center for the conservation of the unique relics. Its experts are currently working on a big project on their preservation. The Sultanate of Oman is one of the key partners of Uzbekistan on building of an electronic library of digitized versions of manuscripts. I hope that soon scientists around the world will be able to explore the manuscripts online.
Following Noble Traditions
Hubert Gijzen,
Deputy Director General of UNESCO:
It is symbolic that the conference on ‘The Historical Legacy of Scientists and Thinkers of the Medieval East, its Role and Importance for Modern Civilization’ is held here in Samarqand. ‘Samarqand is where cultures meet’, says the UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which included the city for its exceptional significance. Samarqand’s history dates back for about 2750 years. It is located at the crossroads of world cultures and major trade routes that crossed Central Asia, including the legendary Silk Road.
Important meetings in other cities and research centers of the country were a part of the conference agenda. I was lucky to visit the Alisher Navoi National Library, the International Solar Energy Center in Parkent, the Botanical Garden. I had a chance to exchange views with the officials, academicians and students about the role of science, technologies and innovation in building a future which we all dream about. The conference has proved the commitment of the Uzbek leadership to the development of science and education, thereby continuing the glorious traditions of the medieval East.
Following Beruni
Wilfred de Graaf,
Associate Professor, University of Utrecht (the Netherlands):
The heritage of thinkers of the East is presently researched all over the world, as demonstrated by the reports at the conference ‘The Historical Legacy of Scientists and Thinkers of the Medieval East, its Role and Importance for Modern Civilization’. The studies are very diverse and fascinating. For example, here at the conference I presented the results of my work on recreation of the model of the spheric astrolabe of Zawaraqi. I was guided by detailed descriptions of the great Uzbek mathematician and astronomer Abu Rayhon Beruni. I think that for all the speakers was a great honor to present the results of their research on the Uzbek land where they lived and worked these outstanding individuals who have made an enormous contribution to the development of modern civilization. The exchange of scientific and technical information among scientists from different countries will undoubtedly generate the further research.
Worth of Preservation and Promotion
Park Choonbae,
President of Inha University (South Korea):
The contemporary development of civilization would be impossible without the contribution of thinkers of the medieval East. I say this as the organizer of higher education, a specialist in aerospace engineering, a researcher in the field of aeronautics and space. This legacy is worth of study and promotion, preservation and transmission to future generations.
I am pleased to witness a scaled work Uzbekistan is carrying out in this direction, which is exemplified by numerous monuments of scholars. For example, our university is launching a campus this year in Tashkent, which will be located on the opposite to the monument of the prominent scientist and astronomer Mirzo Ulughbek. The conference in Samarqand is an example of multi-dimensional and scaled work.
Bringing the Obscure to Light
Marc Bonnel,
President, Avicenna – France Association:
The meeting in Samarqand allowed highlighting the little known and poorly understood contributions of outstanding scientists of the medieval East.
For example, I was thrilled to tell the scientists from different countries the results of the research on the scientific heritage of Avicenna, which allow considering him not just as a physician, but also a great mathematician. He made a huge contribution to the study of the properties of angles. Many fundamental geometrical concepts are interlinked with his studies and still used by scientists.
The exchange of views was useful to all the participants of the forum. They will likely be a motivation for the study of yet unexplored manuscripts. So we anticipate new discoveries ahead.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)