Welcome speech of the Russian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Alexey Arkhov at the gala evening on the occasion of National Unity Day (November 6, 2026) A.V. Arkhov: Dear colleagues, dear friends, partners and compatriots, I am happy to welcome you to today's festive event dedicated to one of the public holidays of the Russian Federation - National Unity Day, which symbolizes the unity of the people, loyalty to shared values, mutual respect and responsibility for the fate of the homeland. The historical roots of this holiday go back to the events of 1612, when the people's militia led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from foreign invaders. In the conditions of a deep political crisis, it was the union of people of different classes, nationalities and religions that could overcome the period of trouble and restore the Russian state. The main lesson from those events remains significant today: the true strength of a country lies mainly in the unity of its people, in society's ability to overcome differences, respond jointly to challenges and achieve its goals. Russia was historically established as a multinational and multi-religious country. For hundreds of years, representatives of different peoples have jointly developed the economy, science and culture.
Build cities, protect the common homeland. Their traditions, achievements and historical heritage have become an integral part of the wealth of our country. The peoples of Russia and Uzbekistan are connected by centuries-old ties, shared pages of history, close human and cultural ties. We know very well what friendship, mutual help and mutual respect for each other's traditions are. These values are embodied in modern Russian-Uzbek relations, which are consistently developing in the spirit of partnership and strategic alliance, meeting the interests of the peoples of both countries. But the main asset of our relationship is, of course, people.