President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented state awards at the Kuksaroy residence to mark the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated those gathered on the 35th anniversary of the Republic of Uzbekistan's independence.
"Thirty-five years is a brief span in the course of history. But it would be no exaggeration to say that the years behind us, in their scale, achievements and outcomes, amount to a century's worth of progress," the president said.
He emphasized that the true architects of this transformation are the nation's hardworking and noble people.
Mirziyoyev noted that the value of independence is reflected in the labor of farmers cultivating the land, teachers and mentors raising and educating children, and doctors safeguarding human life. He also highlighted the contributions of scientists advancing new ideas and discoveries, industrialists and entrepreneurs building modern enterprises, and builders and architects developing cities and villages.
The president said the strength of independence is likewise embodied in the talent of those working to advance culture, art and sport, and in the efforts of civil servants delivering the results of reform to every neighborhood and household. He singled out community elders and neighborhood activists who unite people around common goals, as well as the courage of servicemen and law enforcement officers who safeguard public order and the country's peace.
"In short, the greatest achievement of the New Uzbekistan is this: a transformed individual, a citizen who believes in their own strength, a society that feels a stake in tomorrow," the president said.
He expressed deep gratitude to the country's devoted and hardworking citizens, calling the people of Uzbekistan the greatest strength and foundation of independence.
Mirziyoyev stressed that the country continues to move forward together with its people on the path toward building a New Uzbekistan grounded in human dignity, justice and progress.
"Over the past period, our country has attracted more than $160 billion in foreign investment. Our economy has grown by more than 2.5 times. This year, gross domestic product is expected to exceed $180 billion.
More than 5.7 million permanent jobs have been created in industry, services and agriculture. With the involvement of both the public and private sectors, modern schools with capacity for 1.2 million students, kindergartens for 342,000 children, and hospitals with 62,000 beds have been brought into operation.
To bring people closer together, 83,000 kilometers of public roads have been built or repaired. Centralized drinking water has reached households home to 8 million people for the first time, while water supply has improved for another 11.5 million residents.
Over the past decade, 650,000 families have moved into new, modern housing. Our people have a saying: to have a home is to have a homeland. In that sense, at least 2.5 million people have found their homeland," the president said.
He noted that the voice of the New Uzbekistan is now being heard from the world's most prominent platforms, and that the country's people-centered, peace-oriented policies are gaining international recognition.
"Without question, all of these changes are being achieved through the labor of our multi-ethnic people — devoted compatriots like you," Shavkat Mirziyoyev concluded.
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