Day Of National Unity
The Day of National Unity is a holiday observed annually in Tajikistan on the 27th of June. If the holiday falls on a weekend, it is moved to the following Monday so everyone can observe it as a national holiday.
This holiday commemorates the 1997 signing of the national peace accord that ended the civil war between the rebels of the Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions and the new government of President Rahmon Nabiyev. Over the course of the conflict, more than 100,000 people died in the fighting.
The History of Day of National Unity in Tajikistan
During the 19th century, what is now known as Tajikistan came under Russian Tsarist control. It eventually became part of the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and became a republic in 1929 when it was merged with Khujand from the Uzbek SSR.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, Tajikistan declared independence on September 9, 1991. However, after gaining independence, the country was divided by a civil war over ethnic differences — primarily between the Gorno-Badakhshan and the Khujand, Kulyab regions. This conflict resulted in more than 100,000 deaths and thousands of people being displaced.
In 1997, both sides ceased operations against each other, largely because they had reached a stalemate. The war was finally ended by a United Nations-sponsored armistice. On June 27, 1997, the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan was signed.
Observing Day of National Unity in Tajikistan
As this is a national public holiday, government offices, schools, and many businesses are closed on this day. The holiday is also observed with public speeches, parades, and other special events that commemorate the day. The hashtag #NationalUnityTajikistan can be used to spread the word about this holiday around the world.