Despite a ban under Islamic law and doctrine, amulets and exorcism performed by mullahs or shaman are widespread in Tajikistan. According to a well-known legend, 40 inseparable spirits rule the world, believed to be able to ward off all human misfortunes.

The Tajik president’s trip has confirmed just how strategic a region Central Asia is for China today, a strategic importance made all the more vital by the various geopolitical fault lines. Beijing is banking on the gas pipeline running through the region, but also on its significance for the security of its own borders. And in relations with local governments, its proximity – not just geographical – gives it an advantage over its Western rivals.

Capital Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the efforts that, during the years of the terrible Stalinist dictatorship, made it possible to build one of Central Asia’s most beautiful cities on a desert plateau. Today, its modern buildings project it into the future.

Crossing mountain passes at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres and travelling hundreds of kilometres with their flocks, the čabany keep alive a tradition that produces a type of sheep meat of the highest quality. A hard life, exposed to the unscrupulous exploitation of the owners of the pastures, yet underpinned by a solid unwritten code of solidarity and a profound harmony with nature.

Archaeological excavations in the Zeravshan Valley, which began in the 1930s, continue to this day, yielding new discoveries about the rich world of this ancient people, who made a significant contribution to world culture.

The fact that it coincided with the end of Ramadan provided an opportunity this year to reflect on the national festival as a “bridge between different eras”, linking back to the origins of the Iranian-Turanian civilisation. In the face of hostility from Salafi preachers who regard it as a pagan ritual, Dushanbe recalls that the Arab caliphs themselves rediscovered the value of local traditions.