October 3, 2014
(Special release)
99th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.. 2
Uzbekistan, UNWTO Boost Cooperation. 6
1st October – Teachers and Mentors Day.. 6
Teachers and Mentors Day Celebrated at Turkiston Palace. 6
99th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization
Address by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan H.E. Mr. Islam Karimov at the Opening Ceremony of the 99th Session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Dear Mr. Taleb Rifai!
Distinguished participants of the Forum!
Ladies and Gentlemen!
It gives me an enormous pleasure to welcome You, our esteemed guests, – the leadership and members of the Executive Council, heads of ministries, agencies for development of tourism, scientists and specialists, heads of tourist organizations, representatives of the global tourist industry, and express to all of You my big respect, as well as wish the 99th Session of the Executive Council a productive and successful work.
I would like to express the words of a sincere gratitude to the Secretary-General Mr. Taleb Rifai and all members of the Executive Council for choosing the ancient and eternally young city of Samarkand, which was and remains to be the crossroads of cultures and pearl of the world civilization, as the venue for the Executive Council’s current session.
One can speak a lot about historical significance and beauty of the city of Samarkand.
The city of the almost three thousand-year richest history attracts the attention of travelers, tourists and guests with its majestic monuments of architecture and art of building, its sky-blue cupolas, inimitable oriental image and color.
This wonderful city can charm any person. Once you see it, you shall never forget it.
Recently the respected and internationally acclaimed American Internet edition of Huffington Post has enlisted the city of Samarkand among 50 cities of the world which one must definitely visit even if once in a lifetime.
To me as a man who was born and raised in this city, which naturally combines in itself the ancient epochs and present day, it is of a particular pleasure to see You, all our dear guests, on our hospitable land and say on behalf of all residents of Samarkand and on my own behalf: «Welcome to Samarkand!».
Dear friends!
The main agenda of the today’s session of the Executive Council is the following exclusively substantial topic: «The Great Silk Road – the new prospects of development of international tourism».
Since the ancient times, tourism united the peoples of our planet. People used to set off to travels to discover new lands, learn the world, develop trade and establish cultural and diplomatic ties. The region of Central Asia thanks to its location on the crossroads of caravan trade routes, cultures and civilizations played the most important role in this process.
In the opinion of authoritative scientists, the history of formation of Uzbekistan’s statehood originates from the II millennium B.C. and makes up over 3,5 millennia. Here the centers of formation and development of the ancient statehood are such cities as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Shakhrisabz – the contemporaries of Rome and Babylon. They are broadly known as the largest centers of medieval science, art and culture, and included to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Here it will be appropriate to say that for over the last years together with the entire world community we have broadly celebrated the 2750th anniversary of Samarkand, the 2700th anniversary of Shakhrisabz, the 2500th anniversary of Bukhara and the 2500th anniversary of Khiva, as well as the 2200th anniversary of Tashkent.
Yet in the early and late medieval ages, in these cities – the bearers of ancient culture, science and education, the handicrafts and commerce developed, the palaces and temples were built. To construct beautiful cities there were needed not only skilful masters and builders, but also knowledge and experience of scientists who deeply learnt such fundamental sciences as mathematics, astronomy, physics, architecture, geometry, geodesy, seismology and chemistry.
It was particularly those cities and centers of culture through which the Great Silk Road – one of the most significant cultural and socio-economic phenomena of the world history, ran across. Yet in the III-II millennia B.C. the systems of communications were established. They interconnected the most remote cultures and countries in the vast region of the Near East that stretched from the plains of Mesopotamia to the Indus Valley and from the oases of Central Asia to the Arabian Sea. It was those systems of communications that later became one of the major routes of the Great Silk Road.
The expansion of trade relations led to migration of population who carried its customs and worldview which were reflected in the architecture, monuments of culture, numismatics and handicrafts.
The silk was an ideal commodity for trade transportation to far distances which earned the highest profits. Apart from it, many other commodities and goods were traded across the Great Silk Road, including porcelain, mirrors, glasses, carpets, metals, weaponry, various decorations, tea, spices and famous Chinese paper.
Analyzing the history of emergence and formation of international tourism, once again we come to believe that along with establishing the trade relations, leisure and entertainment, such values as learning history, culture, customs and traditions of the nations of the world remained as its equally important components, and as a result, this led to enhancing mutual understanding and strengthening tolerance among people and nations.
All of this was reflected in the dairies of the great travelers and explorers who in different times traveled along the Great Silk Road. There were the people of various nationalities – Chinese Zhang Qian, Italian Marco Polo and Spanish Clavijo, Arabs Ibn Fadlan and Ibn Battuta, American Pumpelly, Englishman Jenkinson and German Schiltberger, Frenchmen Martin and Bonvalot, Hungarian Vámbéry, Swede Hedin and Swiss Maillart. Among them there were people of various occupations – the pilgrims, missionaries, merchants, scientists, diplomats, researchers and writers, but each of them left a tangible trace in the history of emergence and formation of international tourism. And we are infinitely thankful to them.
The visits of foreign ambassadors, merchants and travelers from various parts of the world to Central Asia are reflected in the wall paintings in Samarkand which over 2,5 thousand years ago depicted the scenes of reception at the court of the Afrosiyab ruler of the ambassadors from China, Korea, the states of South and North Asia, and other countries.
Therefore, it is not by chance at all that 20 years ago it was in the city of Samarkand where «The Samarkand Declaration on Silk Road Tourism» was adopted. It declared the objectives of reviving and developing the international tourism along this most ancient transcontinental route that yet 2-2,5 thousand years ago linked by trade and cultural ties the Asian and European countries stretching through vast regions of the Near East, Central Asia and Middle East.
We believe it was an absolutely timely and right decision of the World Tourism Organization adopted in 2004 to establish the Office of the UNWTO «Tourism on the Silk Road» in Samarkand.
Dear participants of the Forum!
Certainly, we do comprehend that the rapidly changing modern situation, acceleration of globalization processes and frequently recurring global economic and financial crises put forward their problems and dictate their terms for development of international tourism.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to briefly dwell on some of them.
The most important factors that define the course of development and efficiency of international tourism, without any doubt, are the problems of ensuring peace and security, political and economic stability in the world as a whole, in the certain regions and each country where tourists are received.
There is no need to prove, and we can see this in the concrete examples, that international terrorism and extremism, growing radicalism, local wars and risks to travel security are those obstacles which nullify any efforts to develop tourism.
Obviously, there is no need to give examples when due to these reasons the tourist flows are sharply decreasing or completely collapsing in the countries where tourism once flourished. All of us do witness this in the example of some countries of the Middle East.
The second problem on which the development of tourism directly depends is the life standards and growing income of population, its well-being.
It is confirmed by the fact that the main growth of global tourist demand starts forming in the rapidly growing economies of the developing countries, and firstly, in Asia. In other words, tourism is a mirror that reflects the level of development of an economy and its state.
Third, today the international tourism is becoming the most widespread and popular type of leisure for a middle class.
It is not difficult to trace such a phenomenon: the bigger and wider the middle class layer in a country, the higher its tourist potential is.
Apparently, there is a factor of the highest mobility of those who attribute themselves to middle class as well as their aspiration to look for something new and desire to realize themselves.
Fourth, it is the level of development of tourist infrastructure, accessibility of tourist sites, convenience of transportation, hotel services and everything related to the tourist logistics, as well as introduction of modern information technologies – everything we come across at every step.
Fifth, much, if not all, depends on the level of investments channeled to the sphere of tourism, including both the budget funds and creation by state of necessary benefits, preferences and incentives for private capital and business to invest in this sphere and development of infrastructure, hotel sector, transport, modern communications and other tourist services.
The activity on construction of tourist complexes, studying and preservation of historical sites, monuments of architecture and art of various epochs and civilizations, as well as development of the tourist logistics depends, firstly, on the aforementioned factors.
Sixth, training and retraining of highly qualified cadres remain as a key and crucial factor to develop the tourist sphere.
Today there are 5 higher education institutions operating in Uzbekistan to train modern specialists, including the Management Development Institute of Singapore in Tashkent and 11 vocational colleges.
Seventh, simplification of visa procedures and other bureaucratic formalities related to tourism, including providing necessary financial guarantees to the activity of tourist firms, play an important role to ensure an accelerated development of international tourism at the modern stage.
In the example of certain countries we see that the absence of such guarantees is becoming a reason for numerous bankruptcies of tour operators and serious obstacle on the way of development and attractiveness of international tourism.
As the international experience shows, along with other factors, tourists appreciate the simplicity and accessibility, opportunity to quickly and affordably complete all necessary formalities to visit countries of their choice.
Introduction of electronic technologies, quickness of obtaining visas, online purchasing of air and train tickets, booking travel tours and hotels on the Internet play a big role in this context.
We can continue this list of the most important conditions and guarantees on which the tourist flows, and finally, the mood of each and every tourist depend. I am convinced that there are no trifles in this business.
Distinguished participants of the Session!
Assessing what was done for over the past period in Uzbekistan, we clearly realize everything that we still need to do to reach the modern world standards in the sphere of international tourism.
I would like to briefly speak about some indicators of development of this sphere in Uzbekistan.
The number of foreign tourists who visited Uzbekistan in 2013 exceeded 2 million people from more than 70 countries. For over the last two years this indicator increased by 43 percent and in the first half of this year more than one million foreign tourists visited our country.
The export of tourist services in 2013 made up over 615 million dollars. Today more than 200 thousand people are employed in the tourist industry and the cumulative share of tourism in the country’s GDP has exceeded 2 percent.
550 tourist companies – tour operators are functioning in Uzbekistan. There are 110 international travel routes which cover most of the historical sites and monuments of architecture. Among them there are 65 sites of historical and cultural heritage, 30 natural and recreational sites, and 15 eco-routes with the elements of health tourism.
Today more than 500 hotels, motels and camping sites with a capacity of over 50 thousand beds are providing services to tourists in line with international standards.
For over the last period the airports of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, Ferghana and Navoi cities were modernized. Today there are 11 international airports operating in Uzbekistan. The national air company operates modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft which carry out regular flights to more than 50 cities of Europe, Asia, Middle East and North America.
A daily high-speed railway service Tashkent-Samarkand-Tashkent by modern electric trains made by Spanish Talgo Company was launched. It is necessary to especially note that with launching the Afrosiyab high-speed train the number of foreign tourists has significantly grown. We have started the projects on electrification and construction of high-speed railway lines to Bukhara and Karshi which will open up the new opportunities for tourism.
During the last five years 2600 kilometers of modern automobile roads were built and reconstructed with a total amount of investments of about 3 billion dollars. The large number of roadside infrastructure, including camping sites, fuel stations, cafés and service facilities, was also built.
This year alone over 580 million dollars of total investments – more than 19 percent growth against the last year – were channeled to develop the main structure of international tourism.
When we speak about the enormous tourist potential of Uzbekistan, firstly, we mean the most ancient civilizations and cultures which emerged and progressed on this territory, rock paintings and hieroglyphs, unique monuments of history, sublime and inimitable samples of tangible culture and architecture which are explored by many scientists and specialists from Japan, France, Germany and other countries, as well as the treasuries and diversity of nature which are not inferior in their beauty to the world’s best destinations of leisure and travel. All of this can and must turn our country into one of the hubs of global tourism. Today there are more than 7 thousand monuments of various epochs and civilizations in Uzbekistan.
I would like to note that we pay a special attention to stimulating the revival and development of national handicrafts which excel in their high aesthetic quality and preservation of traditions of the best artistic masterpieces of antiquity. I would like to emphasize that in our country the sphere of national handicrafts is totally exempted from taxes.
The centuries-old experience of our craftsmen is being yet wider used far beyond our country.
In particular, the medieval decoration of the architectural masterpieces of Uzbekistan serves as a sample in constructing the new religious facilities in the countries of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and the skills of our ceramics masters are being adopted by specialists of France, Germany, India and other countries.
Uzbekistan annually participates in the largest tourist exhibitions in Paris, London, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Madrid and other cities.
The Tashkent International Tourist Fair which will be held this year for the 20th time and expects to host over 12 thousand visitors from more than 40 countries represents today a high-profile venue for a dialogue in the sphere of tourist business.
Dear friends!
We highly value our productive relations and set big hopes to further strengthening cooperation with the World Tourism Organization and implementing the joint programs and projects.
Above all, we speak about significant enhancing the image of Uzbekistan’s tourist potential, raising its attractiveness, firstly, through the Internet, broad-scale promotion of the «Great Silk Road» brand and using the most beautiful and yet unexplored destinations in the Ferghana Valley, ecologically clean foothills in the Tashkent and Jizzakh regions.
We are always happy to see You in Uzbekistan, not only in Samarkand and Tashkent, but in other equally remarkable cities, and let You feel our warm Uzbek hospitality in all of its diversity.
It gives me an enormous joy to express the words of sincere gratitude to everyone present in this hall. I wish You a productive work, sound health, new successes and good luck in your noble endeavors!
Thank you for the attention and respect you show to Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan, UNWTO Boost Cooperation
In Samarkand’s Forumlar Majmuasi Complex on October 2, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai, who had arrived in this country to take part in the 99th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council.
Greeting the guest, Islam Karimov said that Uzbekistan regards the current visit as the confirmation of UNWTO commitment to further the bilateral cooperation.
The two sides discussed issues of interaction designed to advance the international, ecological, natural, cultural, medical and other modern types of tourism in Uzbekistan, a corresponding infrastructure, to study and restore historical monuments, to train specialists and raise their professionalism, as well as the joint promotion of the brand of the Great Silk Road.
Uzbekistan acceded to the UN World Tourism Organization in 1993, and the UNWTO Regional Center for the Silk Route has operated in Samarkand since 2004.
As the leading world institution in tourism, UNWTO has actively assisted in intercultural exchange and spiritual enrichment of peoples. The organization has more than 150 member nations, and it funds and runs diverse projects on this front in many countries.
Currently, the share of tourism in the gross global product is 9 percent; it accounts for 29 percent of the global exports of services, and the industry employs in excess of 235 million people worldwide. The revenue generated from travel services in the world amounts to 1.4 trillion US dollars.
At present, UNWTO runs 5 programs for major regions of the planet, including the transcontinental scheme “The Great Silk Road”.
The annual Tashkent International Tourism Fair, held since 1994, is one of the principal wings of that project. For the past period, the fair has turned into the biggest professional forum of Central Asia in the travel industry.
The program of the 20th Tashkent International Tourism Fair envisages a number of critical events. Especially important is the 99th Session of UNWTO Executive Council in Samarkand organized on the eve of the fair. At the meeting, delegations from more than 30 countries discuss pressing issues in the evolution of international tour industry. The session is timed to the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Samarkand Declaration on Silk Road Tourism.
The decision to hold the 99th Session of UNWTO Executive Council in Samarqand became another bright confirmation of the steadily rising international standing of Uzbekistan and the acknowledgement of its vast tourism potential. The forum is expected to facilitate further consolidation and enhancement of cooperation with foreign tour companies. The session is to allow the world’s leading experts to exchange experience and views on the current state and prospects of the development of international travel market, discuss new trends and urgent issues in the sector and demonstrate its new capacities.
Taleb Rifai extended his sincere gratitude to President Islam Karimov for a warm welcome and the high level of organization of the session. The UNWTO Secretary General confirmed the willingness of the organization to enhance comprehensive cooperation with Uzbekistan.
(Source: UzA)
1st October – Teachers and Mentors Day
Teachers and Mentors Day Celebrated at Turkiston Palace
Teachers and mentors working selflessly and on their own initiative in the name of fostering a comprehensively advanced younger generation are regarded with great respect and honor in Uzbekistan. The 1st of October has been widely celebrated in our country as the Day of Teachers and Mentors, speaking of the steadily growing authority and the well-deserved esteem for the thorny yet rather honorable labor of the representatives of this highly responsible occupation.
Officials in the education sphere, the best teachers and tutors laid wreath September 30 to the Monument of Independence and Humanism, a symbol of our freedom, bright future and noble aspirations. They were introduced to the modern facilities, education, cultural-enlightenment, sporting-healthcare institutions erected on the initiative of the head of our state in the capital Tashkent.
Personnel of general education schools, of secondary special and higher education institutions, officials of ministries and other government agencies as well as social organizations took part in a festive event at the metropolitan Turkiston Palace occasioned to the Day of Teachers and Mentors.
The President’s State Advisor Kh.Sultanov read out the congratulatory message of President Islam Karimov addressed to teachers and mentors of the entire Uzbekistan.
It was especially stressed at the event that a particular significance has from the first day of independence attached under the leadership of the head of our state to the cardinal transformation of the education sphere as the critical means of nurturing a comprehensively advanced generation and training qualified specialists. The extensive implementation of the Education Act and the National Program for Training Specialists as well as the measures being taken to further these ends have shaped a bedrock for the system of upbringing a young generation who is inferior to no one in anything.
In accordance with the National Program for the Development of School Education, practically all the functioning schools in the country have undergone capital reconstruction, while hundreds of new ones have been built. Wide-ranging efforts are currently underway to bolster the material and technical capacities and activities of preschool education institutions in line with requirements of the time, of specialized boarding schools, the Barkamol Avlod children’s centers, children’s and youths’ sports schools, children’s music and arts schools, institutions of retraining pedagogical cadres.
The state-of-the-art information and communication technologies and methods of distance learning are being introduced currently with growing intensity and extent. This requires boosting the attention paid to training and retraining educators capable of using effectively the advanced pedagogical technologies and interactive methods in their work, of satisfying the interest and demand of schoolchildren in modern forms of education.
To further these goals, special emphasis is placed to uplifting the professional mastery of educators, creating all the conditions and opportunities for their effective activities and their comprehensive support and stimulation. Thanks to these and other endeavors, hundreds of teachers and mentors of the system of public education, higher and secondary special education have for past years been awarded honorable titles, Orders and medals, including the title of the Hero of Uzbekistan.
“In the years of independence, the attitude to the work of teachers – representatives of the honored and the particularly responsible occupation – has changed to a radical extent,” says Shukurjon Mamatkulov, director of the Altynkul College of Economics in Andijan Region, Hero of Uzbekistan. “The huge attention of the President of our country to the work of teachers and mentors obliges us to preserve the independence as the apple of the eye and nurture comprehensively advanced and healthy children.”
As a result of the measures taken in order to stimulate the labor of personnel in the sphere, their average salary size has increased nine-fold as compared to indicators of 1 September 2006.
The 10 December 2012 resolution of the head of our state on measures to further refine the system of learning foreign languages facilitates the teaching of foreign languages cashing in the cutting-edge pedagogical and information-communication technologies, elevating the effectiveness of the system of training specialists commanding foreign languages, and consolidating the international cooperation in the sphere. Owing to joint efforts of the Uzbek State University of World Languages and a number of partner organizations, projects are being implemented successfully to retrain and boost the professional qualification of teachers of English, German, and French of all general education schools. By the start of the 2014/2015 academic year, the need of foreign language teachers was analyzed and corresponding actions were undertaken to retrain them and uplift their pedagogical workload to the 1.5 wage rate.
Foreign language teachers regularly pass attestation at the State Testing Center. Educators of foreign languages in rural schools receive 30 percent bonus allowance to their monthly wage, while others are rewarded with 15 percent bonus. Care as such urges the representatives of this responsible and honorable profession for constant self-perfection and a greater involvement in the process of upbringing a comprehensively advanced generation.
The traditional presidential gift handed to school fresher containing school bag and educational accessories of 12 titles was this year added by textbooks of English, German and French.
The 29 September 2014 Decree of the President rewarded a group of teachers and mentors with high awards of the Motherland for their considerable input into the elevation of the intellectual and spiritual potential of our youth, for fostering a healthy and comprehensively advanced generation in the spirit of love for the native land and devotion to the ideas of independence, respect for national and universal values, selflessness and long-standing fruitful work in the sphere of education and upbringing, active participation in public life.
Also, the traditional national show contest “The Year’s Best Teacher of School Discipline”, held by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Public Education, serves for a worthwhile esteem of the labor of pedagogues. Thanks to the work of enterprising educators who have elaborated their own methodological basis of teaching their own discipline, the level of knowledge of schoolchildren has been growing, as has the general effectiveness of the system of education.
At the festive event, winners of the 2014 contest have been awarded badges “High Achiever in Public Education”, diplomas and memorable gifts.
“The show contest allows for wider popularization of the advanced expertise of the work of enterprising pedagogues with a creative attitude to their cause,” Shirin Niyazmetova, winner of the competition, teacher of the school no.162 in Tashkent’s Chilanzar District, has shared her impressions. “The tremendous care for teachers and tutors urges us to raise our personal responsibility for nurturing a young generation capable of assuming a decisive role in the current and future life of our Motherland.”
As part of the National Program “Year of the Healthy Child”, the public cooperation council “Family-Mahalla-Education Institution” has been established in all the general education schools. That is instrumental in the regular analysis and oversight of the spiritual-enlightenment works, in boosting the interest and aspiration of schoolchildren for knowledge, the complete cover of ninth-graders with subsequent phase of education.
Currently, youths are acquiring knowledge in the majors they have opted for in more than 1.5 thousand academic lyceums and professional colleges equipped in accordance with contemporary education standards. The lyceums and colleges employ experienced and highly qualified pedagogues and tutors, whose work is encouraged properly, and theoretical and practical classes are conducted on the basis of close interaction scheme “college-enterprise”.
In the independent development years the higher education system in the country has been brought into line with international standards and became a two-tier one comprising undergraduate (bachelors) and graduate (masters) degrees.
Speaking at the occasion, director of the specialized boarding school no.4 in Termez, holder of the title “People’s Teacher of Uzbekistan” Shohida Aripova, chief of the Ferghana branch of Uzbekistan’s Union of Writers Enakhon Siddikova, member of the boxing youth team of Uzbekistan and winner of the Second Youth Olympics Bektemir Melikuziev and others pointed out that the extensive reforms undertaken in education, science, spirituality and enlightenment are dedicated to nurture a generation worthy of its Motherland and great ancestors, and extended their gratefulness to the head of our state for a constant attention and care for teachers and mentors.
The official part of the event was followed by a festive concert show of masters of arts and creative youths.
The occasion was attended by Chairman of the Senate of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis I.Sobirov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber D.Tashmuhamedova, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoev.
(Source: UzA)
17th asian games
Athletes of Uzbekistan won another five medals of the 17th Summer Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea
Svetlana Radzivil won the first place in the Women’s High Jump with the result of 1.94 meters and won the gold medal. Nadiya Dusanova was third in the competition with the result of 1.89 meters.
Ivan Zaytsev became the bronze medalist of the Asian Games in men’s javelin throw with the result of 83.68 meters. Gofurjon Zohidov also won the bronze medal in karate competition in the weight category of 85 kg.
Anastasiya Serdyukova claimed the third place in individual all-around of the rhythmic gymnastics competition of the Asiad.
Currently, Uzbekistan won 40 medals – 9 gold, 11 silver and 20 bronze medals at the Asian Games.
(Source: UzDaily.uz)
Reference to the source is a must in reproducing materials