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British Embassy Tashkent celebrates the Queen’s Birthday

Her Majesty’s Ambassador George Edgar hosted a reception on 11 June 2015 to mark the Official Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.

Ambassador Edgar with HE Mr Elyor Ganiev

Her Majesty’s Ambassador George Edgar hosted a reception at his residence on 11 June 2015 to mark the Official Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen and to recognise the strengthening relationship between the UK and Uzbekistan.

More than 600 high-profile guests attended the reception. Among them were members of the British community, the diplomatic corps, and members of the Uzbek political, business and cultural community. Guests included Mr Elyor Ganiev, Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, Mr Dilyor Khakimov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ulugbek Mukhammadiev, Ombudsman under the Oliy Majlis (the Uzbek Parliament) and other high level officials in the Uzbek Government and Parliament. Among special guests were also three Facebook fans of the Embassy, who participated in a quiz on the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta and won an invitation to attend the Queen’s Birthday reception.

British Embassy Tashkent celebrates the Queen’s Birthday

Ambassador Edgar welcomed the guests and spoke in Uzbek about the work of the British Embassy and the British Council in promoting political, economic, educational and cultural relations with Uzbekistan. He concluded his speech by proposing a toast to the happiness and prosperity of the people of Great Britain and to a close and beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Music was provided by a piper and a drummer from the London Scottish Regiment and a local jazz band, who played a programme of popular classics. Sevara Nazarkhan, an Uzbek pop star, also took the stage to perform several songs to the delight of the guests.

Sevara Nazarkhan - Uzbek pop singer

The reception featured a small exhibition about the Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary, its history and significance for the development of the rule of law and democratic values in the UK.

The reception was sponsored by a range of local, international and British companies representing good examples of UK-Uzbek cooperation.

Published 12 June 2015