Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva has urged the need for stopping discussions and disputes on the reformation of the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script and making the necessary changes. She mentioned it at a conference dedicated to the Jadidism movement and ideas, which is held in Tashkent on December 11−12, Gazeta.uz correspondent reports.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Saida Mirziyoyeva asked those present to choose a correct spelling of the word “Uzbekistan” in Uzbek Latin script. She addressed the name of the country and nation being often spelled differently and incorrectly, which, in her opinion, needs to be fixed.
Photo: Telegram / @AsanovEldar.
“This is about our nation, our pride, the name of our country. Indeed, the reform of the alphabet may cause new discussions, disputes, and unforeseen financial costs. But, I am highlighting it once again, when it comes to the correct spelling of the names of the motherland and nation, I believe it is necessary to stop such discussions and disputes, to make certain changes in the alphabet, and thus put an end to the issue of the alphabet,” affirmed Assistant to the President.
According to her, political will and conditions are currently present and available to correct historical mistakes and it is necessary to act unitedly.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the past, we humiliated those who served the development of the country, development of the nation, we eradicated intelligentsia, Jadids, turned teachers into slaves. I think these historical mistakes will have an impact for a long time to come. But one thing is certain: today there is political will, opportunity and conditions to correct these mistakes. The future will not forgive us if we miss this opportunity, if we do not unite around common ideas, if we do not act as a single force, a single fist,” Saida Mirziyoyeva stated.
The conference is held jointly with the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media, the Museum of Victims of Repressions, the Academy of Sciences and the Organization of Turkic States. Researchers and scientists from the United States, Japan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attend this conference.
In October 2020, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on the development of the Uzbek language and improvement of language policy in the country. The document instructed the government to create a working group to ensure a complete and final transition to an alphabet based on the Latin script.
The draft of the new Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script envisioned changing some letters and simplifying the alphabet. It was published with some changes for discussion in 2018, 2019 and 2021, and an alternative version was discussed in 2023.
