Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- As part of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia, official events, a concert and an exhibition of national industrial goods of the countries of the region were held in Dushanbe.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Kazakhstan Kasim-Jomart Tokaev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdymuhamedov, as well as the honorary guest of the summit, President of Azerbaijan Aliev took part in the award ceremony of the Badge of Honor of the Heads of States of Central Asia to the Chairman of the Hulk Maslahatta Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The badge of honor was established at the third Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in 2021 to reward individuals who have made a special contribution to the development of regional cooperation.

Next, the leaders jointly watched the gala concert “Evening of Friendship” with the participation of masters of art from the countries of the region, held at the Kokhi Borbad Palace.

Colorful performances by folklore and ethnographic ensembles and pop artists, national songs and dances clearly confirmed the commonality and cultural closeness of our peoples.

The program continued with a visit to the EXPO Central Asia 2023 exhibition, where the Presidents were presented with the main types of goods produced in the region.

The “Made in Uzbekistan” site demonstrated the potential of the jewelry, textile, leather and footwear, electrical, pharmaceutical, building materials, information technology, agriculture and tourism industries of Uzbekistan.

The exhibition also featured products from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Its total area is more than 1800 square meters.

Following the visit, the heads of state gave specific instructions to responsible leaders to increase mutual trade turnover and expand industrial cooperation.

The concert, as well as a meeting of the Dialogue of Women Leaders, an economic forum, an exhibition of commodity producers, a meeting of transport ministers, a forum of rectors and scientists and other cultural and humanitarian events held these days in Dushanbe within the framework of the regular Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, became evidence of the summit, initiated by the President of our country, to a qualitatively new level.