President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Greeting to the People of Uzbekistan on the Occasion of Kurban Hayit (Eid al-Adha)

(May 26, 2026, Tashkent)

Dear Compatriots,

From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely congratulate you, all Muslims of our country, and our entire nation on today’s great holiday – the sacred celebration of Kurban Hayit.

Eid al-Adha, the festival of peace, kindness, and generosity, which reflects the essence of our sacred religion and embodies its noble ideals, is especially dear to us because these values are fully in harmony with the large-scale reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan today for the benefit of our people.

The noble traditions of Kurban Hayit serve as a source of strength and inspiration in our efforts to strengthen an atmosphere of peace and stability, friendship and harmony in our multinational country, to support the elderly, women, and youth, as well as all those in need of assistance, and to further improve our mahallas.

In recent years, efforts to study and promote the ancient history and rich culture of our people, the scholarly and educational heritage of our ancestors – great scientists and thinkers – and the truly humanistic essence of Islam have reached a new level. Clear evidence of this can be seen in the recently opened Center of Islamic Civilization in our capital, the Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex in Samarkand, and the Burhoniddin Marginani Scientific, Educational and Tourism Complex in Margilan, which have already gained recognition as unique gems of New Uzbekistan among both our citizens and international visitors.

Such important historical steps toward building New Uzbekistan undoubtedly inspire us to move forward along this path with even greater confidence.

Dear Friends,

Thanks to the conditions created in our country to ensure freedom of religion and belief, more than 15,000 of our compatriots are performing the sacred Hajj pilgrimage during these blessed days.

As is well known, this year marks the first implementation of the “President Hojilari” (“President’s Pilgrims”) program. Under this initiative, 100 of our compatriots who have devoted themselves selflessly to serving the Motherland and the people – religious scholars, respected elders, mahalla veterans, and their family members – have been granted the opportunity to undertake the sacred pilgrimage.

During these blessed days, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all pilgrims on the occasion of Kurban Hayit and pray to the Almighty to accept their prayers. We hope that upon returning from Hajj, they will play an even more active role in the spiritual, educational, and enlightenment activities carried out within families, mahallas, and throughout our society.