A three-day international symposium titled “Ancient Khuttal — the Foundation of the Tajik-Persian Language and Ancient Civilization of Central Asia” is being held Bokhtar, the capital of Khatlon province, from May 11.
According to the event organizers, the forum is held at the initiative of the Khatlon Regional Administration and the Agency for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage under the Government of Tajikistan.
The symposium aims to study the history of ancient Khuttal and its role in the formation of the language, culture, and civilization of the Tajik people. Participants in the forum include Khatlon Governor Davlatali Said, Assistant to the President of Tajikistan on Social Development and Public Relations Anvar Safarzoda, Director of the Agency for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage Sherali Khojazoda, representatives of the embassies of Russia and Iran, as well as historians and archaeologists.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Davlatali Said noted that the organizers hope for a significant contribution from the symposium in studying the history of ancient Khuttal and its influence on the development of culture and civilization in the region.
In turn, Sherali Khojazoda emphasized that since the early days of independence, Tajikistan pays special attention to preserving and promoting its historical and cultural heritage. According to him, over 5,000 objects of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Tajik people have been registered in the country.
According to the Agency for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage, there are more than 3,500 cultural relics of national and international significance in the republic. Over 900 of them are reportedly located in the historical region of Khuttal. Among the most well-known monuments mentioned were Kuldera, Takhti Sangin, Ajina-Teppa, Khulbuk, Khoja Mashhad, Aivaj, and Zoli Zard.
Representatives of the embassies of Russia and Iran in their speeches also noted the contribution of the Tajik-Persian civilization to the development of world culture and science.
As part of the symposium, its participants will visit a number of historical and cultural sites in the Khatlon province, including Jaloliddini-Balkhi district, the Khulbuk Palace in Vose district, Kuldera and the Stone Age Museum in Khovaling, the Baljuvon Fortress, as well as the Nurek hydroelectric power plant (HPP).
