OSH, September 28. /Dunyo IA/.   A reception was held in the city of Osh on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the state independence of Uzbekistan, gathering more than 200 representatives of state bodies, diplomatic corps, business, education, culture and Uzbek diaspora, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Among the participants were Plenipotentiary Representatives of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken regions, Amankan Kenzhebaev, Tilek Tekebaev and Mamyrzhan Rakhimov; Mayor of Osh, Zhanarbek Akaev and Speaker of the Osh City Kenesh, Bolotbek Bayotov.

Reception was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan, Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, heads of consulates general and representatives of regional authorities, businesses, universities and tourism companies.

From the Uzbek side, the reception was attended by the Ambassador of Uzbekistan Saidikram Niyazkhodjaev; Deputy Khokim of the Fergana Region Khurshid Akhmedov; representatives of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund Farrukh Tulyaganov and Dilyara Shaikhutdinova; as well as representatives of the “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway construction office.

Speaking at the reception, Amankan Kenzhebaev congratulated the people of Uzbekistan on the 35th Anniversary of Independence and noted the special nature of relations between the two countries.

“We are separated by a border, but no border is capable of dividing the friendship, kinship ties, and mutual respect of our peoples”, he noted.

According to him, historical proximity is today gaining new substance within the framework of interstate cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, transport, tourism, culture and the humanitarian sphere.

Other participants of the meeting also emphasized the centuries-old historical and cultural ties between the two peoples, as well as the development of humanitarian cooperation.

Particular attention was paid to educational ties. Rector of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek International University Altynbek Zulpukarov, reported that the university has signed more than 40 agreements with higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan, implements academic mobility programs and conducts joint scientific and cultural events.

Within the framework of the reception, a concert program was held with the participation of artists from the Babur Osh Academic Uzbek Music and Drama Theater and the well-known Kyrgyz pop singer Elara Kabylzhan kyzy.

A special flavor was added to the event by the performance of a musical group and the presentations “Samsa Show” and “Palov Show”.

In conclusion, representatives of the Uzbek National Cultural Center of Kyrgyzstan emphasized that holding the celebration in Osh became a symbol of friendship, good neighbourliness and cultural proximity of the two peoples.

Event received coverage in the Kyrgyz media, including “Azia TV”, as well as on news websites and social media platforms.

Furthermore, in connection with the 35th anniversary of the independence of Uzbekistan, Chairperson of the Republican Association of Women's Councils of Kyrgyzstan Ainura Altybaeva, presented the spouses of the Ambassador of Uzbekistan and Consul General in Osh with the “Kurmanjan Datka” breast badges.