Tribute to the 17th United Nations Chinese Language Day
Portrait of Confucius
On the 17th United Nations Chinese Language Day we celebrate the timeless charm of Chinese characters a carrier of thousands of years of Eastern wisdom poetry and cultural heritage
Five years ago during the 12th UN Chinese Language Day one of the three core thematic lectures selected by the United Nations “The Mysterious Dongba Hieroglyphs” was solemnly held at our Dongba Culture Academy My respected master the 17th-generation Grand Dongba Priest Aheng Dongta appeared on the front page of the official United Nations website As a wise man of the Naxi people and the soul inheritor of Dongba culture he brought the world’s only living pictographic script to the global stage letting the wisdom of Dongba culture and the brilliance of Eastern civilization shine on the international stage
Dongba hieroglyphs are the living fossil of Naxi civilization a cultural code spanning millennia and a spiritual bridge connecting the past and present and linking civilizations As the sole female inheritor and international communicator of the Dongba culture of the UNESCO Memory of the World I will always stay true to my mission as a cultural messenger delving into the translation and research of Dongba ancient books to let this precious human cultural heritage revitalize in the new era Taking language as a bond I will promote dialogue and mutual learning among different civilizations injecting oriental energy into world peace and cultural prosperity
“Scene from “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by The Joffrey Ballet. (Photo: Cheryl Mann)”
Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Joffrey Ballet
Zellerbach Theater
Berkeley, California
Midsummer Madness
“We had this beautiful summer house in the Swedish countryside. My favorite thing was to run in the field in front of the house and pick seven different flowers to put them under my pillow. Tradition says that if you put these flowers under your pillow before you go to bed, you will dream of your future love.”—Anna von Hausswolff
When you go to see a performance titled “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” even when warned ahead of time it will be set in the pale summer night of Sweden, you can be forgiven for expecting a dependably Shakespearian outing, though this time with maybe a Scandinavian Oberon and Titania and a regiment of local gnomes, a confusion of misguided romantics bounding through an Arctic midnight forest, and maybe a donkey-headed Svenska Bottom and his rude mechanicals defying the stagy and the stage-struck and a teasing trickster of a northern Puck declaring while displaying to all the world: “What fools these mortals be!”
And you might even be forgiven if, in the opening moments of the performance, you feel slightly disappointed that, no, this is not quite what you are about to be graced with this chilly spring evening.
But then, if you have always loved a surprise, especially when it is packaged as a bonbon and then explodes into a party, your expectations are turned on their head and go leaping in cartwheels across the stage, as if the whole theater had been turned into a circus expressly for your entertainment, and you find yourself with little alternative but to let yourself be blissfully carried away for the rest of the enchanted evening. There are a lot worse disappointments! And it’s easy enough to imagine Puck roaring with laughter up his gossamer sleeve.
Such, anyway, was this viewer’s experience when Cal Performances brought The Joffrey Ballet to the Zellerbach Theater on the UC Berkeley campus over a weekend this April. I’m still sorting out all the chaos of revelries that made it one of the most memorable evenings of a season that has had, frankly, a lot of competition.
The dance was divided into two parts, the first running a little under, the second a little over an hour, but who’s counting? The proof of any wonder is how fast it seems to fill any pocket of time with riches, and yet how brief it all seems in the end.
The first half opens, with deceptive minimalism, with a buffed up young man (a fine Dylan Gutierrez, who served as our point of contact for the evening; it’s his dream, after all, that we’re sharing) as he tries, unsuccessfully, to go to sleep in the glaring Scandinavian midsummer night. His bed stands in front of the stage curtain on which random sayings are projected, immediately dissolving: “Pick some strawberries!” “Meet me in the meadow,” “Sven is drunk,” “I prefer Christmas,” “Do you still love me?” . . .
A graceful young woman (the excellent Victoria Jaiani, who will be our main point of romance for the evening) bearing a sheaf of hay, dances down the aisle and up to the stage, waking the young man and then whisking him away through a crack in the curtain, which opens up to a wild, choppy confusion of dozens of dancers thrashing and dashing and flailing across a stage blanketed with golden hay like a vast field at the height of harvest season. From here on, we are far from the forest of Arden, but never far from magic.
The first act unfolds as a kind of bacchantic fertility rite, a revelry of farm workers dancing and playing, not only in, but with the hay, at the foot of a tall, mask-like pagan symbol, integrating a cross, an arrow, and two eye-like wreaths, erected above them.
The dancing workers whisk about, flail and harvest and roll the hay up into tub-like bundles which as used as little stages for couples dancing for love and delight, and they finally cast it all back into a long, luxurious play on the eternal idea of a sweetly innocent roll in the hay, quite literally.
A long table is then rolled out, and the hay is swept gaily off the stage, and the host of workers gather and celebrate the harvest in a traditional banquet. A solitary singer (the magical Anna von Hausswolff, who will appear at especially mysterious and lyrical moments) comes out and sings of the peace and joy of the long festival of summer in these cold and northern climes.
Then the revelry resumes, leading up to a long, strange, mysterious moment, when all the dancers, arranged in an almost intimidating phalanx stretching from end to end of the stage, approach the edge and, wreathed in enigmatic smiles, stare at the audience as if waiting for us to . . . do what?
There was nervous laughter, nervous applause, a little bout of rhythmic clapping, tense silence, and childlike wonder at what it all meant, as the dancers gazed silent as the midsummer sun on the puzzled mortals beneath them, then, just as mysteriously, dissolved back into seemingly random reveling.
The first act ended with one of the evening’s most magical moments, as the dancers moved up and down the long banquet table, bearing candelabras, until they stepped down to and across the darkened stage, off the stage, into the audience and up the aisles, with candelabras still aloft, until they froze, staring at the audience with mad charm.
The first half had many such marvels of enchantment. But it provided nothing to prepare us for what we would see in the second: a fever earthquake, tidal wave of inventions without end, technique without boundaries, a pagan unleashing in a teeming, ecstatic nightmare – for what would a dance about a dream be without the challenge of a nightmare? And everybody rose to meet it, conquered, and conquered again and again for the rest of a dream no one wanted, honestly, to wake from.
Because when was a nightmare ever more turbulent, tumultuous, tumacious, titillating, terrifying fun? Not only did the choreography raise its game to undreamed of heights, and the dancers follow, ever braver and more victorious than the last, but so did the set, the lighting, the props; nor forget the brilliance of music and musicians, never left behind, indeed often leading, including, later, in a soft passage after the seemingly endless rolling frieze of thrills of the opening, the already mentioned singer, who capped many a manic moment with a soft, still climax.
Did I forget the humor? Unforgivable! Because this was a production that, in its deeply romantic and pagan heart, knows how to laugh, out of pure high spirits and unshackled joy. I will mention only the giant Max Ernst fishes landing at unexpected moments or parading enormously across the boards, and the gleeful gigglers prancing in the odd corner at the odd moment, and the tutu-refined would-be swanners undermined in their earnest pliés by the gleeful gigglers and snarky bystanders, and the dueling immaculately haberdashed duo of headless gentlemen (Edson Barbarosa and Aaron Reneteria) bouncing around the stage with arms flailing and trading slaps at each other’s invisible heads, and the half-naked chef (danced with elegant insouciance by Fernando Duarte) parading around en pointe and buff-butted for much of the act in a chef’s hat and apron – and nothing else, my friend. He was, no doubt, a stand-in for the chef of this spectacular banquet of a production, the choreographer (and set designer) Alexander Ekman, as fine a magician of dance and stage as, I believe after this evening, we now have among us.
The music, a heady combination of contemporary and classical, pop, experimental and traditional Swedish folk music, and played live by a sextet of strings, piano and percussion, was by Michael Karlsson. The ingenious lighting design was originally created by Linus Fellbrom and re-created, not least the ribbons of lights hanging above the audience in the image of a circus tent, for the Zellerbach performance by Chris Maravich.
I think the fairies of Arden would have mightily approved.
_____
Christopher Bernard is an award-winning poet, novelist, playwright, and essayist. His most recent book is the poetry collection The Beauty of Matter: A Pagan’s Verses for a Mystic Idler.
First, some announcements. Tao Yucheng invites the winners of the poetry contest he hosted earlier this year to contact him at taoyucheng921129@proton.me. He’ll send out the prize money this month. He also announces that no one person won the Honorable Mention (there was a tie among multiple pieces) so he will automatically enter those pieces in the next competition, which will be at a yet-to-be-determined date this summer.
Also, contributor Mykyta Ryzhykh has a new book out, Tombboy, from Lost Telegram Press.
“In his book, as in books of poems written in poetic forms and free verse, language moves through a pattern, and the basic organizing unit is the line. In tombboy, the line may be a syllable, a sign, an image, or even a dot… Readers may rightfully assume that many, even all the poems in tombboy are anti-war poems… yet it would be inaccurate to infer these concrete poems are doctrinaire, or purely political. Nor are they autobiographical. But they are personal, intuitive, original, and memorable, each with something to show…” – Peter Mladinic, author of House Sitting, Knives on the Table and many other books
“tombboy is filled with an experimental spirit, combining fearless phrasing with satirical madness. The result is a fascinating examination of the human condition… it seems there are no limits to his masterful creativity. Each page of this book will grab your attention. tombboy deserves a prominent spot on your bookshelf.” – Roberta Beach Jacobson, editor of Five Fleas Itchy Poetry and smols poetry journal
Welcome to Synchronized Chaos’ mid-April issue: A Chorus at the Threshold. This issue presents a chorus of voices singing, speaking, sometimes whispering, at different types of thresholds. People of different ages and backgrounds come together in this issue, each sharing thoughts, observations, and feelings at points of shifting and transformation.
Some of these thresholds are deeply interior. Adalat Gafarov Izzet oglu’s poetry is contemplative and reverent, with a focus on spirituality and the search for meaning. John Edward Culp speaks to self-discovery, love, and finding one’s own rhythm in life. Duane Vorhees’ poetry forms a cohesive meditation on struggle, distance, and the human effort to bridge impossible gaps—whether spiritual, emotional, or existential. Mesfakus Salahin’s piece highlights self-exploration in times of solitude, as Maja Milojkovic laments the increasing unwanted loneliness caused by the setup of much of modern life. Mahbub Alam probes the highs and lows and capacities of human nature, highlighting the need for empathy and compassion. Prasanna Kumar Dalai’s poetry is romantic and melancholic, expressing deep emotions and longing. Poet and physician Anwer Ghani suggests that despite our attempts to conceal our emotions, they can still be sensed and felt.
J.J. Campbell’s writing touches on his inner shadows: feelings of isolation, the desire for a simple, authentic life, and the pain of his loneliness and inner demons. Ana May likewise writes from the doorway between suffering and transformation, insisting that pain must be faced if it is ever to yield meaning. Fhen M.’s eerie poem recollects the legend of G. Bragolin’s Crying Boy painting surviving house fires, meditating on trauma and memory. Thi Lan Anh Tran depicts the complex, multilayered social and psychological effects of both romantic love and war. Amina Kasim Muhammad’s poem illuminates how people rebuild after the loss of a loved one, growing around rather than overcoming grief. In David Sapp’s vignettes and Eva Lianou Petropoulou’s scenes of personal and public tragedy, ordinary life itself becomes a threshold where loss is transfigured through memory and grief into reverence.
Other voices gather at the threshold between childhood and adulthood. Yeon Myeong-ji and Hamdamova Dilzodaxon Halimjon qizi craft scenes of family love, care, and loss. Their work, and Jacques Fleury’s return to his father and their childhood treehouse, all stand in that tender doorway between then and now. Sarvinoz Bakhtiyorova depicts the impact of remembering one’s past and how that can shape one’s identity. Here, affection survives distance and the past remains startlingly alive.
Nature, too, shifts throughout this issue, with pieces about seasons and the liminal spaces between dreams and reality. In Stephen Jarrell Williams’s idyllic vision, the act of learning to fly becomes an awakening into another mode of being. Elaine Murray’s visionary reflections on natural landscapes, Charos Ismoilova’s gratitude for the sunrise, Ananya Guha’s pensive thoughts on seasonal time, Graciela Noemi Villaverde’s vision of a world where humans protect and care for the natural world, Joseph Ogbonna’s song to a nightingale, and Brian Barbeito’s dream journey scenes of birds, constellations, and moonlight all invite us to the threshold between the visible and the unseen. Sayani Mukherjee’s luminous piece on the sacred mystery of existence completes this movement, reminding us that existence itself is a continual process of change.
History and heritage form another vital threshold in these pages—the place where inheritance meets the present moment. Dr. Jihane El Feghali’s tribute to Lebanon, radiant with resilience and memory, stands beside Ilya Ganpantsura’s portrait of Pushkin, writing in a nation poised between autocracy and intellectual freedom. Abdulaxilova Sevara’s meditation on Yusuf and Zulayha reveals divine and human love, earthly devotion blended with spiritual transcendence. Eva Lianou Petropoulou shares the tale of miraculous holy fire burning the day before Easter in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Lan Xin acknowledges the shared humanity and commonalities within the heritage of the world’s people, finding harmony within global religious teachings, and Bhagirath Chowdhary echoes that sentiment in his poem. Mohizoda Xurshiq qizi Roziqova discusses Uzbekistan’s legacy of teacher-apprentice training in the trades as Shokhida Nazirova highlights the Uzbek government’s investment in youth education, athletics, and personal development. The works rooted in Uzbek heritage further remind us that culture survives through crossings: hand to hand, teacher to student, voice to voice.
The chorus also rises at the threshold leading to justice.
Sim Wooki confronts racism and colonial power, while Patricia Doyne and Manik Chakraborty write from the brink where historical violence and oppression not only cast a shadow upon the present, but continues to this day. Alan Catlin and Stephen House stand at the moral threshold of witness, asking what it means to remain human before scenes of suffering, ecological damage, and collective harm. These are works that refuse the comfort of distance. They ask us not merely to observe, but to consider the ethics of paying attention.
Jernail S. Anand looks at compassion, care and the consequences of individual actions. Mykyta Ryzhykh highlights the dissonance between our ideals of gentleness and innocence and abusive human behavior that falls short of these ideals. Asalbonu Otamurodova’s reflections on boundaries offer another kind of threshold: the necessary line where care for others must meet care for the self.
Art itself becomes another form of threshold, creating space for various ideas and sensibilities to meet and overlap. Noah Berlatsky considers how even a weathered, broken artwork can convey meaning, how the breakage can become part of the work. Doug Hawley and Bill Tope’s joint short story humorously compares an ordinary couple with historically famous idealized sculptures of people, finding in favor of the average, imperfect, but real, married couple. To’lquinay Ubukulova points out creative people’s current dependence on technology of various sorts. Jerrice J. Baptiste’s poems and paintings of women highlight their individuality, strength of character, and connection to the natural world. Juraeva Aziza Rakhmatovna interviews Croatian writer and poet Ankica Anchia, illuminating her love for her nation and birthplace as creative inspiration.
Ummusalma Nasir Mukhtar celebrates the power of writers to move society forward through their creativity, as Bill Tope explores his personal literary motivations. Ri Hossain analyzes themes in his own poetry, highlighting his combination of materialism and surrealism and how he renders urban realities through free verse. Gionni Valentin’s fragmented thoughts, images, and reflections explore themes of creativity, self-discovery, and the human condition. Kandy Fontaine describes post-Beat poetics, defined by inclusivity, community, focus on embodied and lived experience with living writers, and rejection of hierarchies and trophies. Patrick Sweeney’s tiny poetic fragments touch on art, identity, nature, history, and relationships. Joshua Martin’s poems combine lexical debris, media fragments, bureaucratic residue, and historical ruin, while Mark Young’s fragmented transmissions emerge from different frequencies of reality.
What binds these many works is not sameness, but shared arrival. Each piece stands at some edge—of understanding, of memory, of identity, of survival—and from that edge it calls out. The result is a true chorus: not a single melody, but many voices meeting in resonance.
Chorus at the Threshold sums up this collection because every page invites crossing. Between sorrow and wonder. Between history and dream. Between the self we have been and the self we are still becoming. Yet, many of these doors remain open, so that the thoughts and impressions in one “room” carry forward along one’s journey or can be remembered.
May you enter these pages with openness, attentiveness, and the quiet recognition that something in you may emerge changed.
A Third
Fate banned opposition
accounted human
resignation famine
hesitated losses
tragedy parking lot fortune
an indeed appointment to
railroad obscurity
figured rabid
talkative feted boom
association prickly conduction
ambidextrous ironic
plight lackluster
serial complexity industrial
pit stomach
diplomatic user
preventative causing in
bureaucracy courts
indignation pipes
views
generalist competence
cited
domino geologist period
featured salacious
incognito flame
network calling card
fortune teller average
profile breaking pinch
discontinuity memoir
no actual pepper
pillage offer of little capacity
corpse of desolation
an impeachment
sweeping plunder
boom prince racked
confused epilogue
tracking hangover
recognized credit
tangle handguns
nestling ink
and social scale
quill gravely half-timbered
downriver twenty minutes
worth ermine trace spires
feathery measured stovepipe
goatee hatred golden chain reaction
cross,pit,currant,earlier,
haberdasher,docks,notaries,
penny,euphemism,clutch,
voyages,gums,unilateral
baffled,isolated,profits,flames
globe suffers navigational cargo
fraught astrolabe raids enthusiasm
viable endeavors plant icebergs
bone-jarring celebrity dully exact
shipmate grotesque jumping deck
reach back
looted event
Ongoing perpetuated concrete battlegrounds
Tape MACHINE wings
ballet elementary
denial
>>> sessions
, contents
, rescinded
creditors influence
an influx of
constructivist
disCOURSES<<<
………………..
AS A
matter of
fluently
theoretical vigor
CrashinG
& revising
likewise
eradication
[.][.][.][.][.]
Deep proactive
assumptions
caught
glued to
the portrait
of the embedded
sculptures
.
.
.
Oriented surface
napping ON
TOUR
to floor
an invisibility collective
collaborating
dissonant
shingles assembled
fluorescent
clusters
permeating
END
notes
, zeroed
out ,
left to flounder
in
unstoppable
elsewhere
a medium
simplistic
preexisting
generational
habit
ineffective
, day
dreaming
,
associated
detailed
medium
cool dalliance
,
variable ,
artless ,
struggling
to possess
a
curated
reserve.
Still fluid notion
Rude keeps guessing thumb imprint
suddenly spared sword allowances
no bazaar turning flair gold record
formerly airport research material.
Activation cosmopolitan funnel
gliding voracious quartet
expanded self-regard amended
start vandalism
a piece whining
recorded barrel
ball of defection
scaling palace.
Splendid
telescopic fountain
: ToMb ToWeR , unlikely
diverting Rome,Istanbul,
Cairo,selfhood.
Groaning overgrown
might reoccupied
thousand-pillared mosque
shapeless shrine pilfered
eccentric heaps of
figurines contradict
wrecked courtly litter.
“What they saw has gone native.”
“Very few words report friction.”
“Distant assistants four later editions.”
Invisible or living
Weekly incidence welded to caution
: manure feigned membership :
acute collarbone identity
,cosmic instigation,
an overreaction.
Critiques
THUS = however futile
separated caricature,
verbose cartons of
ridicule.
Feral outlook
judges syntax.
[humane dystopian
madness (horizon)
,supper club
destined
film still ,
turmoil of
effective
drives].
Maxims aren’t full-contact programs.
Atmospheric nihilism [collage
one another ,
subjected to
membership
dues & don’ts].
Underground segments
critical hysteria
hostile
center=
stage.
Cacophonously burping
,mainstream contribution,
hack,heck,hack,heck,hack.
Geriatric sponge
kicking backside /
slide discourse
features excerpts /
satire renews an activation /
themed civil wars /
public replicated self-definitions.
Unconscious ethos broader guilt
: exacting imaginary citizens :
“Knotted ties apply
triumphant lust to
outstretch physiques.”
Musical rather than coherent.
[ideas campaigns
first person
, judges harsh flasks]
Impaling begins.
Joshua Martin is a Philadelphia based writer and filmmaker, who currently works in a library. He is a member of C22, an experimental writing collective. He is the author most recently of the books punctuated avalanche (Stone Corpse Press) and en=raptur=ed [riverrun] & mingle (Ranger Press) He has had numerous pieces published in various journals. You can find links to his published work at joshuamartinwriting.blogspot.com
A second-year student of Bukhara State Medical Institute named after Abu Ali ibn Sino
The mornings of Bukhara are unique. Especially on the days when a new chapter of life begins, those mornings feel even brighter, even more exciting. On one such morning, with endless dreams in my heart, I stepped for the very first time onto the grounds of the Bukhara State Medical Institute named after Abu Ali ibn Sino.
As I walked through the gates of the institute, the atmosphere around me immediately drew me in. Students in white coats, young people hurrying to their classes, and dedicated teachers who approached their work with seriousness — all of it conveyed one simple truth: this was not just an ordinary place of education; this was a sacred institution where future doctors, who would fight for human lives, are trained.
The moment I took my first step past the entrance, I paused. The grand building of the institute stood tall, as if proudly saying, “Welcome.” At that very moment, the thought deeply settled into my heart: I will study here. My eyes filled with tears — but they were tears of joy.
I did not come to this institution by an ordinary path. In the 2025–2026 academic year, after graduating from a medical technical school, I was admitted through an interview process based on the opportunities created for young people in our country, especially under the initiatives of our President. For me, this was not only an achievement but also a great responsibility and trust. From the bottom of my heart, I express my deep gratitude — this opportunity completely changed my life.
In truth, deep within my heart, the dream of studying at a medical institute had always lived. I imagined it many times: large lecture halls, students eager for knowledge, wise and experienced teachers… And one day, those dreams turned into reality.
My first days were not easy. A new environment, new subjects, complex terminology — all of this intimidated me a little. At times, I even wondered, “Did I choose the right path?” But every time, the kind yet demanding looks of our teachers guided me back to my path.
One day, during a practical lesson, our teacher said: — “Being a doctor is not just a profession; it is the art of entering the human soul.”
These words made me think deeply. From that day on, I began striving not only to study my lessons but also to understand people. Because a true doctor must be able to feel not only physical pain but also the pain of the human heart.
As time passed, I gradually adapted to this environment. Difficulties gave me strength, and every small success increased my confidence. I realized that I was no longer just a student gaining knowledge here, but a young individual confidently walking toward becoming a doctor who will help people in the future.
Today, as I look back at my very first step, my heart is filled with one feeling — gratitude. Because this institution taught me not only to dream but also to strive toward making those dreams come true.
From my very first days at the institute, I found a special source of inspiration. On social media, I had been following a highly qualified and accomplished professor, PhD Muslima Akhatovna. Deep inside, I used to think: “If only one day I could attend her classes and learn from her…” And finally, that dream came true. It is difficult to put into words what I felt at that moment — it was not just a lesson, but an inspiring encounter.
Muslima Akhatovna is not only a highly skilled specialist in her field, but also a true teacher who can find a way into the hearts of students. Each of her lessons is not just a lecture, but a meeting full of inspiration and motivation. Her love for knowledge, dedication to her profession, and sincerity inspire every student to follow in her footsteps.
I had admired her scientific potential and broad thinking through social media, but sitting in her class in person is a completely different experience. Every topic she explains leaves a deep mark in my heart and motivates me to learn even more. Muslima Akhatovna is not just a teacher who gives knowledge — she is a guiding star leading us toward our dreams. Her presence is a great blessing and a source of inspiration for students like me.
In addition, I would like to mention my teachers from Karakul Medical Technical School, who played an invaluable role in my first steps on the path of knowledge. Dedicated mentors like Oltiboyev Ravshanbek, Haqqiyev O‘ktam, and Hasanova Mehriniso greatly influenced me with their teachings, support, and belief in me. It is their knowledge and encouragement that today I am confidently moving toward my goals.
Now I look at life differently. Before, I only had dreams — now I live with clear goals. Because I have realized that dreams are just the beginning, while goals are the force that brings them to life.
Student life at the institute is an entirely new world. New classmates, a new environment, a new way of living… All of this has changed me. Sometimes lessons feel difficult, but I never stop trying. I know that behind every difficulty lies a new opportunity.
Since childhood, I used to tell my mother: “I will become your personal heart doctor,” because she often suffered from heart pain. Today, I understand that I want to become not only my mother’s doctor but a doctor for all mothers. My greatest goal is to become a skilled therapist-cardiologist — a doctor who welcomes every patient with a smile, who treats them not just as patients but as close and dear people, and who can give not only treatment but also hope to human hearts.
There is still a long road ahead of me. I have many goals. But I firmly believe in one thing: if a person strives sincerely, their dreams will surely come true. I have chosen my path — a path toward the white coat, toward serving humanity.
“The First Step Toward the White Coat” is only the beginning. Ahead lie many challenges and many achievements. But I believe that this path will lead me to become a true doctor.
The Holy Fire (Greek ‘Αγιος Φως, literally “Holy Light”) is a miracle that occurs every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Holy Saturday, the day preceding Pascha.
It is considered by many to be the longest-attested annual miracle in the Christian world, though the event has only been documented consecutively since 1106.
In many Orthodox countries around the world the event is televised live.
The ceremony begins at noon when the Patriarch of Jerusalem recites a specific prayer. The faithful gathered will then chant “Lord, have mercy” (Kyrie eleison in Greek) until the Holy Fire descends on a lamp of olive oil held by the patriarch while he is alone in the tomb chamber of Jesus Christ.
The patriarch will then emerge from the tomb chamber, recite some prayers, and light either 33 or 12 candles to distribute to the faithful.
The fire is also said to spontaneously light other lamps and candles around the church.
Pilgrims say the Holy Fire will not burn hair, faces, etc., in the first 33 minutes after it is ignited. Before entering the Lord’s Tomb, the patriarch or presiding archbishop is inspected by Israeli authorities to prove that he does not carry the technical means to light the fire.
This investigation used to be carried out by Turkish soldiers.
The Holy Fire is first mentioned in the documents dating from the 4th century.
A detailed description of the miracle is contained in the travelogue of the Russian igumen Daniel, who was present at the ceremony in 1106.
Daniel mentions a blue incandescence descending from the dome to the edicula where the patriarch awaits the Holy Fire.
CHALLENGES IN TEACHING WRITING SKILLS TO EFL LEARNERS.
Axmatova Maxliyo Ag‘zam qizi
Chirchik state pedagogical university
a student of Tourism faculty
Foreign language and literature, a 2ndyear student
ABSTRACT: This article explores the major challenges in teaching writing skills to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners. Writing is considered one of the most complex language skills, as it requires the integration of grammar, vocabulary, organization, and critical thinking. Many EFL learners face difficulties due to limited language exposure, insufficient vocabulary, and lack of regular practice. In addition, psychological factors such as fear of making mistakes and low confidence further hinder their writing development. The study also highlights the impact of traditional teaching methods, which often emphasize theoretical knowledge over practical application. Based on these challenges, the article suggests that effective teaching strategies, including interactive activities, continuous feedback, and supportive learning environments, are essential for improving students’ writing skills. The findings emphasize the importance of a learner-centered approach in overcoming writing difficulties and enhancing overall language proficiency.
АННОТАТЦИЯ: Данная статья рассматривает основные трудности в обучении письменной речи учащихся, изучающих английский язык как иностранный (EFL). Письмо считается одним из самых сложных языковых навыков, поскольку требует интеграции грамматики, словарного запаса, логической организации и критического мышления. Многие учащиеся сталкиваются с трудностями из-за ограниченного языкового окружения, недостаточного словарного запаса и отсутствия регулярной практики. Кроме того, психологические факторы, такие как страх допустить ошибку и низкая уверенность в себе, также препятствуют развитию письменной речи. В статье также подчеркивается влияние традиционных методов обучения, которые часто делают акцент на теоретических знаниях, а не на практическом применении. На основе выявленных проблем предлагается использовать эффективные педагогические стратегии, включая интерактивные задания, постоянную обратную связь и создание поддерживающей образовательной среды. Результаты исследования подчеркивают важность ориентированного на учащегося подхода для преодоления трудностей и развития письменных навыков.
КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СЛОВА: учащиеся EFL, письменная речь, изучение языка, трудности обучения, словарный запас, грамматика, обратная связь, методы преподавания, мотивация студентов, развитие письменных навыков.
ANNOTATSIYA: Ushbu maqolada ingliz tilini chet tili sifatida o‘rganuvchi (EFL) o‘quvchilarda yozma nutq ko‘nikmalarini o‘rgatish jarayonidagi asosiy muammolar tahlil qilinadi. Yozish eng murakkab til ko‘nikmalaridan biri bo‘lib, u grammatika, lug‘at boyligi, fikrni mantiqiy tashkil etish va tanqidiy fikrlashni o‘z ichiga oladi. Ko‘plab o‘quvchilar cheklangan til muhiti, yetarli lug‘at zaxirasining yo‘qligi hamda muntazam mashq yetishmasligi sababli qiyinchiliklarga duch keladilar. Bundan tashqari, xato qilishdan qo‘rqish va o‘ziga ishonchsizlik kabi psixologik omillar ham yozish ko‘nikmalarining rivojlanishiga salbiy ta’sir ko‘rsatadi. Maqolada an’anaviy o‘qitish usullarining kamchiliklari ham yoritilib, ular ko‘proq nazariy bilimlarga urg‘u berishi ta’kidlanadi. Tadqiqot natijalariga ko‘ra, interaktiv metodlar, doimiy fikr-mulohaza (feedback) va qo‘llab-quvvatlovchi o‘quv muhiti orqali yozish ko‘nikmalarini samarali rivojlantirish mumkin. Shuningdek, o‘quvchiga yo‘naltirilgan yondashuvning ahamiyati alohida ta’kidlanadi.
KALIT SO’ZLAR: EFL o‘quvchilari, yozish ko‘nikmalari, til o‘rganish, o‘qitish muammolari, lug‘at boyligi, grammatika, fikr-mulohaza, o‘qitish metodlari, o‘quvchi motivatsiyasi, yozish rivoji.
INTRODUCTION: In today’s globalized world, writing has become an essential skill for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It plays a crucial role in academic success, professional communication, and personal expression. However, teaching writing to EFL learners remains a challenging task for many educators. Writing is not only about using correct grammar and vocabulary, but also about organizing ideas logically and expressing them clearly. As Stephen Krashen emphasizes, language acquisition depends largely on meaningful exposure, which many EFL learners lack in non-English speaking environments. One of the main difficulties is that learners often have limited opportunities to practice writing outside the classroom. This results in low confidence and slow development of writing skills. Moreover, students frequently struggle with generating ideas and structuring their texts effectively. According to Jeremy Harmer, regular practice and constructive feedback are key factors in improving writing proficiency. In addition, psychological barriers such as fear of making mistakes can negatively affect students’ motivation and willingness to write. Understanding these challenges is essential for developing effective teaching strategies that support learners in overcoming difficulties and improving their writing skills.
One of the most significant challenges in teaching writing skills to EFL learners is their limited vocabulary and insufficient understanding of grammar rules. Many students face difficulties when they try to express their thoughts in English because they do not know the exact words or appropriate grammatical structures. As a result, their writing often becomes simple, repetitive, and less meaningful. This problem also affects their confidence, making them hesitate to participate in writing tasks. In many cases, learners know the idea they want to express in their native language but cannot transfer it effectively into English. This gap between thought and expression creates frustration and slows down their progress. According to Jeremy Harmer, vocabulary enrichment and grammar accuracy are essential components of writing development, and they require continuous practice, exposure, and feedback from teachers[1]. Without a strong linguistic foundation, students cannot develop advanced writing skills such as argumentation, coherence, and creativity. Another major issue in developing writing skills among EFL learners is the lack of regular practice and limited exposure to the English language. In many educational contexts, students only use English during classroom activities, which is not enough to develop fluency in writing. Writing is a productive skill that improves only through consistent practice, but many learners do not have opportunities to write outside school. This lack of exposure leads to slow progress, weak idea generation, and poor organization of thoughts. Students often struggle to start writing because they are not familiar with academic structures or common writing patterns in English. As Stephen Krashen explains, language acquisition becomes more effective when learners are exposed to meaningful and understandable input in a low-anxiety environment[2]. Therefore, without sufficient exposure and practice, students cannot fully develop their writing potential. Teachers need to encourage more writing tasks, journals, and interactive activities to improve learners’ skills.
To overcome the challenges in teaching writing skills to EFL learners, several effective solutions and pedagogical recommendations can be implemented. First of all, teachers should adopt a student-centered approach in the classroom. This approach shifts the focus from teacher dominance to active student participation. When learners are given more opportunities to express their ideas, discuss topics, and engage in writing activities, their confidence and motivation gradually increase. Writing should not be treated as a purely mechanical task, but rather as a meaningful process of communication and self-expression. Another important solution is the use of regular writing practice. Students should be encouraged to write daily or weekly through journals, essays, short paragraphs, or creative tasks. Continuous practice helps learners improve vocabulary usage, grammar accuracy, and idea organization. In addition, writing tasks should be designed from simple to complex levels so that students can gradually build their skills without feeling overwhelmed. Providing constructive feedback is also essential. Feedback should not only focus on correcting errors but also guide students on how to improve their writing. Teachers should highlight strengths as well as weaknesses and give clear explanations. According to H. Douglas Brown, effective feedback plays a crucial role in language learning because it helps learners understand their mistakes and develop self-correction skills[3]. Without proper feedback, students may repeat the same errors and lose motivation.
Furthermore, interactive teaching methods such as peer review, group writing, and collaborative tasks should be implemented. These methods allow students to learn from each other, share ideas, and improve their writing through cooperation. As Jeremy Harmer emphasizes, writing is a process that involves planning, drafting, revising, and editing, and students need support at every stage of this process[4]. Another effective recommendation is the integration of technology in writing instruction. Digital tools such as blogs, online writing platforms, and grammar-checking applications can make writing more engaging and accessible. Technology also provides learners with instant feedback and opportunities for real-world communication. Improving writing skills among EFL learners requires a combination of interactive methods, continuous practice, supportive feedback, and modern teaching tools. When these strategies are applied effectively, students can overcome their difficulties and develop strong, confident writing abilities.
CONCLUSION: Teaching writing skills to EFL learners is a complex process that involves several linguistic, psychological, and pedagogical challenges. Students often face difficulties such as limited vocabulary, insufficient grammar knowledge, lack of practice, fear of making mistakes, and ineffective teaching methods. These factors negatively affect their ability to express ideas clearly and confidently in written form. As a result, writing is often considered one of the most difficult language skills to master in an EFL context. However, these challenges are not impossible to overcome. With the implementation of modern, student-centered teaching approaches, learners can significantly improve their writing abilities. Regular practice, meaningful writing tasks, and supportive classroom environments play a crucial role in developing students’ confidence and competence. In addition, constructive feedback helps learners identify their mistakes and gradually improve their performance. As highlighted by Jeremy Harmer, writing should be viewed as a process that includes planning, drafting, revising, and editing, rather than just producing a final product[5]. When teachers guide students through each stage of this process, learners become more independent and effective writers. Therefore, improving writing instruction in EFL contexts requires continuous effort from both teachers and students. By combining effective strategies, motivation, and practice, learners can overcome their difficulties and achieve higher levels of writing proficiency.
REFERENCES:
1. Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Longman.
2. Harmer, J. (2004). How to Teach Writing. Pearson Education.
3. Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Pergamon Press.
4. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. Harvard University Press.
5. Hyland, K. (2003). Second Language Writing. Cambridge University Press.
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8. Rasulov, B. (2017). Pedagogika va o‘qitish metodlari. Toshkent: Noshir, pp. 78–95.
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