Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb.28 /Trend D.Azizov/
Uzbekistan has completed preparations for the spring season of Umra-2012, which will take place from March 1 to April 21, the press service of the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan said.
The Committee noted that about four thousand pilgrims from Uzbekistan will make "small Hajj" - Umrah this year.
Taking into account the weather conditions of Saudi Arabia and other factors, the preference for pilgrimage in the spring season is given to the senior and the elderly citizens of Uzbekistan.
Training courses - seminars for groups (each group consists of 50 persons) is conducted in the regional centers of training at the moment. Training seminars include theoretical and practical skills to conduct the ritual. Potential team leaders are being tested for learning at the end of seminar.
Seminars are conducted by representatives of the Committee for Religious Affairs and the Office of the Muslims of Uzbekistan.
According to the Committee on Religious Affairs, more than 2.2 thousand religious organizations representing 16 denominations are registered in the country today. More than 90 percent of them are Muslim organizations, 88 percent of the population consider themselves as followers of Islam.