Uzbek newlywed couple. *Photo from Wikipedia
September 1 is Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Uzbekistan from the Soviet Union in 1991.
What is now Uzbekistan was in ancient times part of the predominantly Persian-speaking region of Transoxiana, with cities such as Samarkand growing rich from the Silk Road. The area was later conquered by a succession of invaders including the Arab Caliphate and Turkic states such as the Göktürk Khaganate (a political entity ruled by a Khan or Khagan), after which it was laid waste by the Mongols.
The region was conquered in the early 16th century by Eastern Turkic-speaking nomads, and was gradually incorporated into the Russian Empire during the 19th century.
In 1924, the constituent republic of the Soviet Union known as the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR) was created. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, it declared independence as the Republic of Uzbekistan on August 31, 1991 (officially celebrated the following day).
Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, is located in Central Asia and is bordered by five landlocked countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Tajikistan to the southeast; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Afghanistan to the south; and Turkmenistan to the southwest. Uzbekistan is one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world.
In commemoration of the day, let us introduce you to a Uzbek woman who launched a training company which focus on the cross-cultural understanding.
*Click a photo below to see her stories!
“Even just seeing the ocean was a new experience.” – Fariza Abidova, entrepreneur.
*Reference: Wikipedia
