A long-awaited and socially relevant decision for the people of Uzbekistan has been approved. The Uzbek government has officially endorsed a regulation limiting the number of guests invited to weddings and other family ceremonies to no more than 200 people. The rules will apply equally to everyone, and supervisory bodies will continuously monitor their enforcement in practice. The decision also stipulates that certain rituals and shows that are alien to Uzbekistan’s national and spiritual values, and that lead to excessive extravagance, will be strictly restricted.
The government’s restrictions are not so much about limiting the number of guests as they are about preventing unnecessary financial expenses.
Public opinion on the matter is divided. Some people in our country wish for a similar decision to be implemented here, while others argue that “everyone should be free to celebrate their happy occasions in whatever way their budget allows.”
In general, Uzbekistan has from time to time witnessed protests against the use of the Russian language — and these continue today. About four or five years ago, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, criticized the use of Russian in advertisements for shops, catering, and consumer services across the country, as well as the neglect shown toward the Uzbek language. He condemned those who wrote service signs in Russian, reportedly asking, “Do you think no one will understand if you write in our own language?” He stated that such people lacked patriotism and respect for the state and its language.
A few months ago, during an official visit to Uzbekistan, Russian Prime Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of Russian-language information in Samarkand. When visiting a monument, he noticed inscriptions only in Uzbek and English and asked the guide why there was no Russian text. The guide replied, “This is a tourist city; information is available in all languages.” Lavrov responded, “But I don’t see any Russian.” Following the release of this video, Uzbek activists began expressing objections toward Lavrov’s remarks. The Rector of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Kudratkhodjaev, stated that “Uzbekistan is not a colony of Russia.” Similarly, a member of Uzbekistan’s Parliament, Odiljon Tojiev, voiced his protest on social media, writing that “the artificial promotion of a foreign language fosters hostility, not love.”
Additionally, a few months ago, Uzbek blogger Khojiakbar Nosirov reacted sharply when people spoke to him in Russian at a café in Tashkent, calling for the problem to be addressed. He said: “We are in Uzbekistan. We are all Uzbeks. Why should we speak Russian? What is the point of employees speaking Russian here? Anyone who asks an Uzbek a question in Russian should be ashamed.”
Of course, I am not straying from the topic of weddings — though the issue of the Russian language is also one of our “pain points.” In fact, we have quite a few of those. I believe this issue will eventually be resolved at the state level, and that is why I have touched upon it. My main point is that we should not serve as promoters of the Russian language — one of the leading instruments of Russia’s foreign policy. Our people must have unity. We must value our native language and ourselves. As the saying goes: “Where there is unity, there is strength.”
We already know that efforts are being made in our regions to eliminate lavish mourning ceremonies. This decision has freed grieving families from significant expenses. If the tradition of serving food at memorial gatherings is being discontinued, similar measures could be taken to reduce extravagance and unnecessary spending at weddings as well.
Günel Həsənova, Bizimyol.info
