In the centre of the Tajikistan capital, the start of the demolition of a historic tea house, a world-famous meeting place for writers and artists, to make way for new modern buildings, is sparking heated discussions. The Lokhuti theatre, itself a masterpiece of Tajik architecture, also seems destined for the same fate.

While mosques are filling up with large crowds from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan, commercial initiatives related to the Muslim holy month are multiplying. And most telephone operators are also offering electronic almsgiving services, with QR codes approved by religious administrations.

The agreement between Kyrgyz and Tajiks-sealed by the embrace between Žaparov and Rakhmon-affects as much as 1,000 kilometers of border and and comes after discussions and clashes dating back to the twentieth century, when both states were under Moscow's control. As recently as three years ago, armed clashes had occurred with several casualties on both sides.

President Rakhmon has reinserted Tirgon, the ‘rain festival’ which according to tradition took place on the longest day of the year, a tradition linked to local epics, but which today takes on a new meaning in the fight against the drying up of rivers and basins throughout Central Asia.

As expected, the party of Emomali Rakhmon, who has been at the helm of the country since 1994, obtained an absolute majority and only parties controlled by the president entered parliament. Despite the regime's clearly repressive nature, there are no international sanctions against Tajikistan, confirming the feeling that the ruling caste in Dushanbe is untouchable.

The Tajiks consider themselves the main heirs of the trade routes of centuries ago, of the ‘first Eurasian globalisation’ in history. But today, according to the political scientist Abdugani Mamadazimov, they are forced to play catch-up with their neighbours while the whole world looks to Central Asia as a crucial area of connections between East and West.