Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 8 May / corr. Trend E. Khojayev/ The photograph exhibition about the life and activities of Heydar Aliyev was opened in Tashkent at the Azerbaijani cultural center Gardashlig (Fraternity). Such exhibitions dedicated to 85th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev are held in other Azerbaijani cultural centers in Uzbekistan, Akif Agatalibov, the chairman of Association of Azerbaijani Cultural Centers in Uzbekistan said to Trend .
Abutalibov expressed his gratitude to Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its President Mehriban Aliyeva for her assistance in selecting the photographs and video material about Heydar Aliyev. "Concerts and ceremonies dedicated to the anniversary are held in the cultural centers. Our Association staged a chess tournament as well in the school #115 in Tashkent," he said.
On 10 May, the activists of the Diaspora will lay flowers at the Heydar Aliyev bust erected in Tashkent in a street named after him. A ceremonial welcome will be held and participated by people from Uzbekistan's capital city, a documentary will be displayed and creative personnel of the Azerbaijani Diaspora and the renowned cultural figures of Uzbekistan will perform a concert.
The Azerbaijani cultural centers are actively functioning in six regions including Bukhara, Samargand, Sudarya, Fargana and in Almalik city of Tashkent district of Uzbekistan, a country with a 60,000 Azerbaijani population, Agatalibov said. They do a lot to maintain their national traditions and attach great importance to studying the Azerbaijani language, developing amateur arts and holding concerts and various exhibitions.
In 2001, the representatives of the Azerbaijani Diaspora took part in the Meeting of World Azerbaijanis held in Baku at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev, he said. It was repeatedly mentioned in the meeting that Azerbaijanis should always observe the laws of the country, whose citizenship they posses and respect traditions of the people with whom they live together, to be able to speak their language, but not lose their own mother tongue and the traditions of their ancestors.