On April 15, 2016, the deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan reviewed and approved the proposal of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to introduce amendments to the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Holidays.” According to this amendment, November 16 is celebrated annually as the Day of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, without being designated as a public holiday.

The choice of this exact date - November 16 - is not accidental. On this day in 1994, Emomali Rahmon took his first oath of loyalty to the people and the Motherland as the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. And on November 16, 1992, in the ancient city of Khujand, the XVI Session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan was convened in extremely difficult, fateful, and painful circumstances for the Tajik nation. At this session, Emomali Rahmon was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The path chosen by the Head of State on the political stage was filled with difficulties, challenges, ups and downs, tensions, instability, hardships, and struggles. At that time, Tajikistan was engulfed in the flames of a civil war, and there existed a real threat of its collapse and disappearance from the political map of the world. Destructive political forces, supported by external patrons, fueled the internal conflict, igniting the flames of war in different parts of the country. As a result, thousands of homes were destroyed, brother took up arms against brother, thousands of people became refugees and homeless; and Tajiks, in their own ancient homeland, found themselves displaced and without shelter. State institutions were practically paralyzed, and Tajikistan plunged into a deep political, economic, and spiritual crisis.

By the will of history, at the XVI Session of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council. The country, engulfed in conflict, found its true leader in this energetic, courageous, noble, and sincere man. From the very first moments of assuming this high position, love for the people and a deep commitment to rebuilding the homeland took root in the pure and genuine heart of this chosen son of the nation.

Under the leadership of the esteemed Emomali Rahmon, the Republic of Tajikistan began the process of strengthening its independence by achieving peace and stability, facilitating the return of displaced refugees to their homeland, and establishing the fundamental pillars of statehood - the adoption of the Constitution, the State Flag, the State Anthem, and the creation of the National Army. The path toward independence was marked by numerous challenges; however, the dignified and hardworking Tajik people managed to overcome them, reinforced stability, and established the key foundations of statehood, as a result of which Tajikistan was recognized by the international community as a legal and secular state.

Political scientists and social experts consider the restoration of peace and the strengthening of security to be among Emomali Rahmon’s most significant achievements. This is an indisputable truth acknowledged not only by supporters but also by critics of the President: he became the architect of peace and national unity. Extinguishing the destructive flames of the civil war in the shortest possible time - a conflict that claimed 150,000 lives and left more than one million people displaced and homeless - was an extremely difficult task. The return of refugees to their homeland, their adaptation to peaceful life, the provision of housing, and the creation of conditions for employment became historic steps that, under his capable leadership, were brought to a successful conclusion.

On this path, the President risked his own life to save the nation from the horrors of a conflict deadly to its people. Without peace and reliable security, it would have been impossible to build a democratic and just society. The realization of the slogan “I will bring you peace” paved the way for the creation of a stable, lawful, and secular state.

The unity of word and deed is one of the President’s distinguishing qualities. “Until the last refugee returns to the homeland, I cannot feel at ease as the Head of State,” were the President’s first words from the podium of the historic Sixteenth Session of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan. To fulfill this promise, he invested all his efforts, demonstrated the highest level of responsibility, and ensured the return of more than one million refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and the Central Asian states. The construction of tunnels and roads, the distribution of land to farmers in difficult economic conditions, the removal of the country from communication isolation, the strengthening of energy security, and the continuation of the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant are vivid examples of the President’s consistency between word and action.

Emomali Rahmon, while serving as the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, gradually grew as a statesman: his views, worldview, and thinking expanded and deepened, presenting him to the world as a political figure of international stature. National self-awareness and self-identity occupied a special place in the system of state governance shaped by this visionary leader. In the policy pursued by the Head of State, national consciousness and the preservation of national values under the conditions of globalization are regarded as fundamental factors in strengthening the national state. In this regard, the ideology of our new state, aimed at consolidating stability through the protection of national values, has been successfully implemented in practice. As a result, the entire system of state institutions and the political mindset are grounded in this very ideological foundation.

It is no secret that the national state draws its origins from language, culture, and history. From this it follows that a state, relying on its national elements, gradually forms, develops, and strengthens. A national state embodies the defining characteristics inherent to a particular people and is obliged to form and cultivate its language, culture, religion, traditions, and, in general, its national spiritual identity. In this context, the role of the Founder of Peace and National Unity - Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the esteemed Emomali Rahmon - is truly unique and exceptional. Owing to the wise policy of the Leader of the Nation, the names of prominent and devoted sons of the Tajik people - Sadriddin Ayni, Nusratullo Mahsum, Shirinsho Shotemur, Mirzo Tursunzoda, Bobojon Gafurov, and others - have been elevated to a high pedestal and honored with the highest title of the state, Hero of Tajikistan.

Love for the Motherland and loyalty to the people have made Emomali Rahmon a true leader of the nation. On the eve of the celebration of President’s Day in the Republic of Tajikistan, it is appropriate to recall a profound piece of wisdom left to us by our enlightened ancestors. They used to say: if a source is pure, transparent, and bright, then all the streams, rivers, and waters that flow from it will also be pure, unclouded, and clear. Today, such purity and clarity prevail in our beloved Tajikistan, and the source of this bright reality is the majestic personality of the Leader of the Nation, President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. His gift for statesmanship, his political wisdom, and his strategic vision have cleansed the political, social, and spiritual space of our country from darkness and chaos, while his message of peace and unity has directed the human potential and collective energy of society toward creation and historically significant achievements.

Thanks to the thoughtful and comprehensive programs and tireless efforts of the President, spiritual values, moral traditions, and the unique features of national historical thinking have taken a priority place in the essence of political authority and the system of state governance. Therefore, one of the main goals of the national idea of our new state - an idea centered around the Leader of the Nation - is the all-round strengthening of the culture of peace and the consolidation of national unity and harmony as the most unique achievement of the Tajik people.

To this day, the principles, foundations, and advantages of this policy - the protection of national interests, the preservation of freedom and independence, the safeguarding of societal security and stability, and the sustainable development of Tajikistan - remain unchanged. Moreover, they have become even clearer and more adaptive to modern conditions, as the Leader of the Nation has transformed them into the fundamental values of the state.

Over many years, Emomali Rahmon has accumulated invaluable political experience and created his own unique school of statesmanship. The statesmanship school of the Leader of the Nation is a school of humanity, benevolence, and humanism. It unites diverse layers of society, and its ultimate purpose is to lead the people to prosperity through creation and development. A group of political scientists, sociologists, scholars, poets, writers, and theorists of this school, inspired by the activities, initiatives, and undertakings of the President, are shaping the spiritual foundation of a new concept of the national state and contributing to elevating Tajikistan to a new stage of development. Their invaluable contribution cannot be measured by any material criteria, as their patriotic position is enduring: they are the protectors of national interests, national values, the security and stability of the country, as well as the guardians of the borders of the national worldview.

At the heart of the policy of the Leader of the Nation lies the education system, which occupies a special and strategic place. Over the years of independence, 3,670 new general education schools, 262 preschool institutions, and 35 higher professional educational establishments have been constructed and put into operation across the country. Thanks to the constant care and efforts of the national leadership, the education system has achieved significant progress: the learning process has become modernized, a new generation of creatively minded teachers has emerged, and the image of the teacher has become a symbol of the new individual shaped by the era of independence. By direct instruction of the Head of State, the esteemed Emomali Rahmon, the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the Status of the Teacher” was adopted, creating favorable conditions for enhancing the prestige of the teaching profession. Thus, the construction of a knowledge-based society is one of the strategic goals of the esteemed President Emomali Rahmon. In such a society, peace and stability take priority, dignified living conditions are created for all, creativity and constructive work flourish, the people advance, the nation develops, and society prospers.

Thanks to the wise, enlightened, and creative policy of this outstanding statesman of global stature - the esteemed Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan - our beloved country has entered a new stage of revival. After strengthening the fundamental pillars of statehood, priority was given to reinforcing national unity and stability, fostering national self-awareness, respecting ancestral heritage, preserving the spiritual wealth of society from the threats of rapidly growing globalization, and constructing essential facilities - schools, administrative buildings, developing industry, and commissioning hundreds of new modern structures. At the forefront of this process of creation, transformation, progress, and renewal, alongside the Head of State, stand patriotic, devoted, and honest individuals who strive each day to bring forth useful initiatives for the benefit of society. In this ongoing process, the efforts of the esteemed President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, occupy a worthy and pivotal place.

Listing even a small portion of such constructive initiatives is enough to ensure that the image of this individual - as an outstanding figure in global politics and a dignified representative of the Tajik nation - shines brightly in the mirror of human history.

Happy President’s Day of the Republic of Tajikistan, dear compatriots!

Ahliddin Ibodullozoda, Rector of the Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Ayni