KHUJAND, August 29, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- On Tuesday August 28, Sughd governor Qohir Rasoulzoda visited the Bobojonghafurov district.

According to the Sughd regional administration, the purpose of the visit was for the governor to get acquainted with the progress of reconstruction of the Arbob Cultural Palace.

Celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the 16th session of the Supreme Council (Shuroi Oli) of Tajikistan are expected to take place at the Arbob Cultural Palace in November this year.  

We will recall that in Aril last year, the Arbob Cultural Palace that had previously been property of Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) named after Saidkhoja Urunkhojayev was handed over to the Sughd culture directorate.  According to local authorities, such a decision was made because the Urunkhojayev OJSC does not have enough funds to maintain the facility and pay wages to 40 people working with the Arbob Cultural Place.

The Arbob Cultural Palace is a building in Bobojonghafurov district, the former headquarters of a Soviet collective farm, built in the 1950s and modeled on the winter gardens of Peterhof, St. Petersburg.

The main building consists of three wings - with an ornate theatre seating 800 people in the main wing.  The South wing currently houses a museum which tells the history of Arbob and of collectivization in Tajikistan.  Outside the building is a procession of fountains and rose gardens.  The center was built under the leadership of Saidkhoja Urunkhojayev, the head of the collective farm.