Ассалому алейкум, дӯстони азиз! Хуш омадед ба таҷлили ҷашни истиқлолияти Иёлоти Муттаҳидаи Амрико!
Ман Кевин Коверт ҳастам, бисёр хушҳолам ва ифтихор аз он дорам, ки имрӯз бо Шумо ҳастам.
Муҳтарам Фаррух Маҳмуд Ҳамрализода, сафирон, меҳмонони гиромиқадр, хонумон ва ҷанобон, ман мехостам аз номи ҳамаи ҳамкоронам шуморо ба Сафорати Амрико хушоамадед гуям. Ба ҳамаи шумо барои ҷашн гирифтани ин рузи муҳим бо мо ташаккур мегуям.
Мехостам ба сарпарастони маъракаи имруза миннатдорӣ изҳор намоям: ширкати коркарди куҳии “КОМСАП”, Маркази ташхисоти “Нурафзо”, ширкати “Coca Cola Icecek”.
Ман инчунин мехостам ба гурӯҳи мусиқии Ҳарбӣ-ҳавоии қувваҳои муссалаҳи Иёлоти Муттаҳида барои сафари дуру дароз аз Доҳа ба Душанбе барои намоиши ҳунари мусиқиашон миннатдорӣ изҳор намоям, ва мехостам ба Қисми пиёдақӯшуни баҳрии Иёлоти Мутаҳҳидаи Амрико, ки бехатарии ҳаррӯзаи моро таъмин менамоянд, ташаккур бигӯям. Ташаккури худро ба меҳмонхонаи Ҳилтон барои хизматрасонӣ дар маъракаи имрӯза изҳор менамоям. Дар охир мехостам миннадориамро ба Кумитаи тадорукоти Сафорат вобаста ба ҷашни Истиқлолияти ИМА, хусусан ба Ҷошуа Лэмб барои истифодаи тамоми имкониятҳо баҳри бомуваффақият гузаронидани чорабинии имрӯза, изҳор намоям.
Дусаду чилу ду сол пеш миллати муҳоҷирон, дар асоси принсипҳо оиди он, ки ҳамаи одамон баробар офарида шудаанд ва аз ҷониби Офаридгор бо ҳуқуқҳои муайяни универсалӣ таъмин гардидаанд, бунёд гардид. Иёлоти Муттаҳида дар асоси ваъдае бунёд гардид, ки ҳамаи одамон баробар офарида шудаанд, ва аз ин рӯ, мо то ҳол кӯшиш карда истодаем, то ки ин ваъдаро иҷро намоем.
Ман танҳо қайд менамоям, ки мо дар давоми 26 (бисту шаш) соли охир тақрибан 2 (ду) миллиард доллари ИМА-ро ҳамчун кӯмак ҷудо намудем ва 500 000 (панҷ сад ҳазор) нафар ҷавонони Тоҷикистон, аз тамоми қаламрави кишвар, аз ҳашт Маркази Амрикоии мо дидан намудаанд.
Аммо рақамҳо маънои аслӣ ва таъсири амиқи шарикии моро нишон дода наметавонад. Ба ҷои ин, ман мехоҳам, баъзе воқеаҳоро нақл кунам. Ин воқеаҳо аз таърихи ҳамкории мо бо мардуми Тоҷикистон мебошанд.
Барои дуруст ҳикоя намудани ин қиссаҳои инсонӣ, ман ба забони англисӣ мегузарам.
Our first story has a very sweet ending. You may have noticed the cake with the Tajik and U.S. flag over there by the pool.
The cake was made by Inobat Rajabova from Bokhtar. Twenty years ago, at a time when civil war and conflict threatened to tear this country apart, she opened a small bakery. That bakery was more than just an investment. It was an expression of hope and a belief in a better future.
More than a year ago, USAID helped expand the bakery to include a training center. Now, in addition to making cakes and treats, Inobat also teaches business skills to women in her community.
I want to recognize Inobat and all the entrepreneurs and innovators here today who take risks and make investments to strengthen Tajikistan’s economy.
Our next story is about one of my personal heroes, Ms. Lola Nasridinnova, head of the Initiative of Parents of Children with Autism. Lola, where are you?
My wife Lesya and I met Lola several months ago, and we learned that we both have loved ones who live with autism. Imagine for a moment what that is like. Not knowing if your son or daughter will ever go to school, or get a job, or live an independent life.
Thanks to Lola’s courage and commitment, parents now have a network to share best practices about raising children with disabilities. They have somewhere to go, someone to talk to, something to do, to give their children a happy and meaningful life.
We are proud of the work she is doing to promote the rights of vulnerable people. Thank you, Lola, for your hard work, and thanks to all the civil society leaders and journalists here today, who work to make their local communities stronger.
Speaking of community, there is one more person I’d like to recognize: Rukhshona Shobudinova, who led a program to address domestic violence under the embassy’s community policing initiative.
More than one-third of all women worldwide face some form of physical, psychological, or sexual violence. This is a serious problem in every society in the world. And it can only be solved with leaders like Rukhshona.
With help from local officials and the U.S. Embassy, Rukhshona created a successful outreach campaign on domestic violence. Even I know the slogan, Ҳаёти зан бе зӯроварӣ!
Thank you for your leadership. You are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our bilateral security relationship. As President Trump told President Rahmon, Tajikistan’s sovereignty and security are in our mutual national interest.
Several months ago, I attended a graduation ceremony at the Ministry of Interior’s Special Forces Academy. I was impressed by the professionalism of these new officers, including the first graduating class of female officers. Many of them live and work in harsh conditions at remote outposts in the mountains, far from friends and family. Please join me in thanking them for their service. (Applause)
I apologize if I have taken too long. But I felt it important to share these remarkable stories with you. And of course these are just a few of the meaningful moments that Tajikistan and the United States have shared over the last 26 years.
Before I close, I wanted to acknowledge one more person, who represents another aspect of our special partnership.
As you all know, this is the year of tourism in Tajikistan – Соли рушди сайёҳӣ ва ҳунарҳои мардумӣ муборак бод! A couple months ago, Lesya, our son Daniel, and I traveled with Deputy Tourism Committee Chairperson Shirin Amonzoda to the legendary Seven Lakes region of Panjakent. We ate oshi palov above the sixth lake in a picturesque village with a friendly family, and I then understood the motto, “Feel the friendship!” Shirin – are you here?
Thanks to Shirin, we learned so much about this beautiful country and its rich history and culture. For example, I learned about the great Tajik poet Rudaki, when we visited his mausoleum in Panjrud. And so, with your indulgence, I will close my remarks with a quote from the great poet, Rudaki:
Ҳеҷ шодӣ нест андар ин ҷаҳон,
Бартар аз дидори рӯи дӯстон.
Ҳеҷ талхӣ нест дар дил талхтар,
Аз фироқи дӯстони пурҳунар.
Tашаккур барои диққататон. Хуш омадед!
And now, it is my great pleasure to introduce our Guest of Honor, Chairman of the State Committee on Investment, Farrukh Mahmud Hamralizoda. Please give him a warm welcome!
