On Monday March 19, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with representatives of Tajik intelligentsia.  Addressing the meeting that took place at the National Library of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon called on intelligentsia to protect national interests, according to the Tajik president’s official website. 

The meeting reportedly focused on topical problems, new proposals and the results of research and education activities.

“We should use potential of modern Tajik intelligentsia to strengthen national unity and protect national interests,” Tajik leader noted.

He called on representatives of the country’s intelligentsia to propagate more actively issues of peace and accord in society and cultural values of the Tajik people among the population, especially among youth.

Today there are 695 historical and cultural relics in the country requiring restoration, Rahmon noted.  

He proposed to publish an encyclopedia of Tajik national holidays and festivals. 

Rahmon also ordered relevant government bodies and public associations to properly control the implementation of the country’s law on state language.  

The president noted that during the recent state visit of the Uzbek president to Tajikistan, the Tajik and the Uzbek authorities had reached an agreement on development of the Tajik language and culture in Uzbekistan and the Uzbek language and culture in Tajikistan. 

“Intelligentsias of both countries should promote implementation of these agreements,” Rahmon stressed.

Traditional meetings of President Rahmon with representatives of Tajik intelligentsia are usually held in Dushanbe on the threshold of the Navrouz festival. 

Addressing the meeting, the president usually calls on the country’s intelligentsia to use all their opportunities to raise educational level of the population and promote improving living conditions in the country.

Last year, Rahmon also met with representatives of the country’s intelligentsia on March 19.

Speaking at the last year’s meeting, Tajik leader noted that the intelligentsia, as an active and powerful force of society, should play an extremely important role in the formation of national self-knowledge and self-awareness; faithfully and firmly defend the interests of the nation.

Rahmon stressed that the representatives of the intelligentsia should support the initiatives of the creative generation, instruct them on the study of sciences, the development of professions and crafts for the benefit of improvement of Tajikistan.

All scientific and educational structures of the country were instructed to create favorable conditions for the young intelligentsia to study modern science.