The Turkish city of Konya is hosting a Turkey-Tajikistan business forum tomorrow, Tajikistan’s Embassy in Ankara reports.
Tajik Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Sherali Kabir, heading a government, delegation is participating in the event that is expected to bring together senior representatives of more than 150 companies and enterprises of both countries.
A number of b2b meetings are expected to take place in Konya on the sidelines of the Tajikistan-Turkey business forum.
According to Tajikistan’s Embassy, the parties are expected to sign a number of cooperation documentsю
According to data from the Agency for Statistics under the Government of Tajikistan, the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Turkey last year valued at 323 million U.S. dollars, which was 17 percent more than in 2019.
To-date, the two countries have reportedly launched about sixty joint ventures.
Recall, Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Ashraf Gulov met with Turkish Minister of Trade Mehmet Muş in Ankara on December 11 to discuss cooperation. The two reportedly exchanged views on state and prospects of further expansion of trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkey.
The parties reportedly agreed to follow the agreements previously reached by the highest leaderships of the two countries on diversification and increasing the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and Turkey to 1 billion U.S. dollars.
Gulov and Muş also discussed issues related to developing the Tajikistan-Turkey bilateral trade facilitation roadmap designed for 2022-2025.
Meanwhile, while in Konya, Tajik Industry Minister Sherali Kabir will also attend the Shab-e Arus (Wedding Night) ceremony.
The night of December 17, is the (solar) anniversary of the death of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (Jaloliddin Balkhi in Tajikistan), who died in 1273 in Konya, Turkey (which for many centuries had been known as Rum, the Anatolian peninsula long ruled by Rome, meaning the Eastern Roman, and then Byzantine, Empire).
The observance of the anniversary of a sufi saint is called (in Arabic), `urs, which means “wedding” because the saint is believed to have attained “union” (or utmost nearness together with other saints and the prophets) with God, the Only Beloved.
In Turkey, the night of Rumi’s `urs is called Sheb-i Arus or “Wedding Night”.
Many sufi gatherings of various kinds will be mentioning the name of this saint on this night, praying that the blessings of God be upon his soul, and celebrating his “Wedding Night” by the “Whirling Prayer Ceremony” (Samâ`) of the Mavlavi (“Whirling Dervish”) Sufi order, recitation of his poetry, and sufi prayer chanting, zikru’Llah— “remembrance of God”.
Konya, historically known as Iconium, is a major city in south-central Turkey, on the south-western edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau.
The city ranks among the Anatolian Tigers. There are a number of industrial parks in Konya. A number of Turkish industrial conglomerates have their headquarters in Konya.
While agriculture-based industries play a role, the city's economy has evolved into a center for the manufacturing of components for the automotive industry; machinery manufacturing; agricultural tools; casting industry; plastic paint and chemical industry; construction materials; paper and packing industry; processed foods; textiles; and leather industry.
Konya was the final home of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi, whose tomb is in the city. In 1273, his followers in Konya established the Mavlavi Sufi order of Islam and became known as the Whirling Dervishes.
