“Our people are going to keep the memory of the Second World War, its victims and injuries, forever. The long-suffering Uzbek nation got deprived of its ablest and greatest sons at the war,” Islam Karimov suggested.

“Uzbekistan had approximately 6.5 million inhabitants at the dawn of War. One and a half million subsequently left for combat. Except for babies and children, women and the elderly, in excess of 40 percent of Uzbekistan’s population took up arms and fought battles. Significantly, that nearly 500,000 of our fellow countrymen – or 30% of all war participants from this land – fell in the brutal bloodbath is indicative of how important the Victory has been to the Uzbeks, of how enormous the contribution of Uzbekistan’s people was to the effort to overwhelm Nazism,” the Uzbek leader said. President Islam Karimov said he would like – or even demand – that no one forget this truth.

“I am confident that those courageous and daring compatriots went to fight and die to protect their Motherland, their people, their parents, loved ones and dearest kids, friends,” he said.

“That is the reason why the heavy blow, the incurable wound caused by that horrible war is never going to wipe away from our memory. There is scarcely any family, any household in this country who had no one of them to go to that war, who did not suffer incredible grief and pain. That disastrous slaughter left myriads of soldiers disabled, wives widowed, and kids as orphans.”

Uzbek leader said, this day has all of us standing with our heads down, bowing to the sweet memory of those who perished in the War with dignity, and those heroes who labored strenuously day and night behind the front.

“In a word, the true meaning of memory is that it shall always remind us of the ever taxing days and inconceivable difficulties that we and our ancestors have had to go through to reach today’s peaceful and harmonious and free life, these bright days.

“Today’s commemorative holiday is critical also in making us exhibit due reverence to each other, and above all to the war veterans living with us.”

“More than 8,600 participants of war currently live in Uzbekistan. All of us, and leaders first and foremost, “should not forget that it is our duty to do our best to make life for the dear veterans longer, more meaningful, to demonstrate warm care and compassion to them, not merely on this day, but also every other time,” President Karimov underlined.

“Crucially, the Day of Memory and Glory ought to remind us time and again to be constantly vigilant and cautious in these turbulent times, to value our peaceful life, clear skies, the leader of Uzbekistan suggested. “In this respect, we should bear in mind the ongoing conflicts and confrontations taking place in some countries. For instance, the neighboring Afghanistan has suffered war for more than thirty years,” the Uzbek President stressed.

“We ought to draw lessons from these kinds of conflicts, all of us must find our sacred duty to further consolidate the peace and inter-ethnic harmony reigning in this country. Tolerance, sympathy and compassion are the greatest wealth of our people, ones that we should always cherish.

“As we talk of goals and objectives we set out to achieve, of gaining a well-deserved place among the world’s most advanced democratic nations, it is imperative that we nurture our youth in the spirit of national idea, as a generation second to no one”, he added.