Hundreds of artistes from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have arrived in Tajikistan to participate in the main Navrouz celebrations taking place in Sughd province, according to the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan (MoC).
An official source at a MoC says this year, the central festivities will be held in the city of Khujand, the capital of northern province of Sughd. President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon is expected to attend, along with his counterparts from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The source notes that delegations of artistes and cultural figures from neighboring countries arrived in Khujand between March 23 and 24 and are currently holding rehearsals for the festivities, which will feature musical and theatrical performances.
“Artists, singers, dancers, and designers from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are now preparing their cultural programs for the main celebration,” the source said.
According to source, performers from Kyrgyz folklore and ethnographic ensembles such as Kambarkan, Madaniyat, Khanda, and Ak-Niyat will take part in the event. The specific ensembles and creative groups from Uzbekistan have not yet been disclosed.
In addition to professional artistes, volunteers from neighboring countries have also traveled to Tajikistan. Besides, Uzbek and Kyrgyz designers will showcase their clothing collections and present traditional national dishes.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students from Bobojon-Ghafourov Khujand State University have been participating in rehearsals for the main Navrouz celebrations since mid-February.
The exact date of the Navrouz celebrations in Khujand with the participation of the three presidents has not yet been announced. However, earlier reports indicated that the first trilateral summit of the presidents of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan will take place in the city on March 31.
During the summit, Emomali Rahmon, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Sadyr Japarov are expected to sign a joint agreement on linking border checkpoints between the three neighboring countries.
