By: C. William Hanson Jr.

“Samarkand is a city of radiant beauty, where the silk of the ages is woven into the fabric of history.”
-Kipling, Rudyard. The Collected Works of Rudyard Kipling. Edited by David G. McCullough, Wordsworth Editions, 1994, p. 267

“Bukhara, like a star, rose upon my view, with its domes, turquoise and gold most bright.”
-Lear, Edward. Journal of a Landscape Painter in the Highlands and a Visit to the Isle of Mull. The Folio Society, 1993, p. 56.

To those readers who want to read only the writings of an expert, let me suggest that you skip this issue, as I have never yet visited the five lands which form our subject matter this month:

Although all five were Republics of the USSR, you can see that only one of them, Kazakhstan, shares a border with Russia. My personal knowledge of their peoples comes only from friendship with some who have come to study or to live in the USA. The Work and Travel USA program is a government initiative which allows international students to come to the United States during their summer break for work and cultural exchange. By the way, although much has changed in 2025, recent information from federal agencies indicates that such programs remain active. My friendship with the Russian economist Evgeniy, introduced to you in some of our  previous issues, began when he as a student had come to Massachusetts for a summer and needed a place to stay. Then more  than fifteen years ago while vacationing for a few days in Cape Cod, shopping at a supermarket, we struck up a conversation with a couple of boys who were there from Tajikistan.  Such foreign students often welcome a chance to connect with Americans such as me and my family. We offered an opportunity to visit us in Acton at the end of their summer, an invitation which they eagerly accepted. They were the best of friends with each other, and we found both to be  highly admirable and endearing. Both spoke three languages fluently- Russian, English, and their native language Tajik, which can be deemed a dialect of Persian. (Although Tajik uses the Cyrillic alphabet, Tajiks and Iranians, both speaking forms of Persian, can understand each other). Their personalities were quite different from each other, and one was devoutly Islamic, while the other was not observant. One returned to Central Asia, while the other remained in the USA. We became friends with both and have stayed in touch. Much more recently we have come to know a cello student at New England Conservatory, Dilshod Narzillaev from Uzbekistan:

Narzillaev performs alongside pianist Nan Ni, full video performance linked here

I find it striking how much educated young people from the former East Block have in common with their counterparts in Western Europe. They feel themselves part of an international community.  Might we hope that these feelings bode well for the future of civilization?   

Happily, the USA has actively been promoting a closer relationship with the five countries. The “5+1” term typically refers to the engagement framework involving the five countries and the USA.   The USA has increased its engagement through initiatives aimed at promoting political stability, economic development, and democratization through a “Partnership for Peace” program. Moreover, the war in Ukraine has created a significant opportunity for Central Asian republics to assert their independence and pursue greater autonomy. In turn, the assertion of independence has had some impact on the war. In the following report, PPR Global shows how Kazakhstan’s assertion of independence has disrupted the flow of war supplies and other goods to Russia:

As young Russians, especially boys and men, have been fleeing from Russia, Central Asia has provided a refuge.  Even Uzbekistan, which ten years ago suffered under a repressive dictator, under a more enlightened ruler has become increasingly liberal and specifically has been providing substantial support for art and thus an appealing destination for Russian artists.  These developments will be a focus in some of our future issues.  We plan a visit to Central Asia in the coming year.

Reader Comment:

I was just reading your latest post about Russian artists.  You mentioned Tchaikovsky and I recalled that his Second Symphony inspired by a visit to Ukraine is called the “Little Russian” because  Ukraine was considered Little Russia.  Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2 is nicknamed “Little Russian” because it incorporates Ukrainian folk melodies. This nickname is now considered offensive due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

-Joe Spinoza

(Joe Spinoza has a program on Tucson Public Radio and is a Southern Arizona celebrity.)