Uzbek Language Day

On 21 October 1989 the law granting Uzbek the status of state language was adopted. In 2019 a decree by the President of Uzbekistan declared the date the Uzbek Language Day.

Uzbek belongs to the Karluk branch of the Turkic languages and is the mother tongue of more than 35 million people — one of the most widely spoken languages of the Turkic world. Its literary foundation was laid by Alisher Navoi in the 15th century. Over its history Uzbek has been written in Arabic, Latin and Cyrillic scripts; the return to the Latin alphabet began in 1993.

How it is marked

Schools and universities hold poetry and public-speaking contests, "My Mother Tongue" essay competitions and book exhibitions, and people who have contributed to the development of Uzbek receive awards.