It was stormy, cold day, autumn breezes were crashing against her window from time to time and Anne was sitting there without blinking her eyes like a statue in Plato’s academy of Athens, lost in the typhoon of her thoughts. Meanwhile, her mother knocked on the door.
‘’Anne be ready, your father is about to arrive, you have to go to the market’’
It shocked her for a while, she quickly placed her sketch book back in her tote bag, her eyes got captivated by her very own laptop, her ‘fantasia’. A river of tears, started to follow through her eyes. Today was the day, she had to go to market to buy a new laptop, as her ‘fantasia’ was no longer working. She had to replace it, although her heart was reluctant to idea of let go of her partner of years, with whom she shared her nights, days, her ideas, her laughter. It wasn’t easy for her to let go.
She took out her diary and began to write something, while tears flowed through her eyes:
‘I loved you as much as I love blue, as much as I love winter. You have been a piece of my heart for so long; no one can take your place. Fantasía. Goodbyes are hard, yet inevitable. Leaves grow from the stem, withstand so many winds, breezes, and storms, until they lose the stem and fall in late autumn. Spring returns with new leaves, but can they replace their predecessor? Just like the Deluge can’t replace the Big Bang. Wounds shed skin, yet when they heal, they leave a scar behind. Oceans dry up, yet they leave behind their remains. Nothing is replaceable. Everything holds a somewhat unique place in space, and this prophecy is eternal, long-standing, and as old as the tiniest particle in the universe.’’
She closed the diary with the hope that fantasia will always accompany her as memory of love and resilience. The storm outside had been silenced just like ashes of pain in her heart.
Fiza Amir is a Pakistani writer and poet, and a medical student by training. Her work grows out of hospital wards, history, and the quiet interior lives of people—where grief, compassion, and resilience meet. She writes with a spare, lyrical voice that turns lived moments into witness, believing that some stories survive only when they are written.
Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar’s Participation in an International Innovation Competition and Conference in China
In October 2025, Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar, a student of Andijan State Technical Institute, took part in a series of high-profile international academic and innovation events held in the People’s Republic of China. His participation marked an important milestone in his academic and professional development, while also highlighting the growing international engagement of Uzbek students in global innovation platforms.
On October 13, 2025, the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition brought together nearly 500 teams from different countries, creating a highly competitive environment focused on innovation, engineering creativity, and technological solutions. Among the finalists of this large-scale international competition was Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar, who successfully advanced through multiple stages and ultimately earned the Silver Award (2nd place). This result demonstrated Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar’s strong analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to perform at a high level in an international setting.
The achievement of Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar attracted particular attention due to the scale and prestige of the competition. Reaching the final stage and receiving a Silver Award in a contest of this magnitude was recognized as a significant accomplishment, reflecting both individual capability and the increasing competitiveness of students from Uzbekistan and Central Asia on the global stage.
During the competition, Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar actively engaged in academic and professional exchanges with representatives of leading Chinese universities. In particular, discussions with professors from Shanghai Jiao Tong University focused on innovation-driven education, research collaboration, and future opportunities for international cooperation. These interactions contributed to strengthening academic ties and expanding professional networks at the international level.
Following the competition, on October 18, 2025, an international conference dedicated to the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition was held at Northwest Agriculture and Forest University in Shaanxi Province, China. The conference gathered participants from Central Asian countries as well as representatives from several other regions, serving as a platform for dialogue on student innovation, education, and international collaboration.
At the conference, team leaders from five countries were invited to speak as official speakers. Representing Uzbekistan, Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar participated as a speaker and delivered a presentation focused on the competition experience and its broader academic significance. In his speech, Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar provided insights into the innovation process, shared reflections on international academic cooperation, and highlighted the achievements of Andijan State Technical Institute in engineering education. Special emphasis was placed on the institute’s role in preparing highly qualified engineers and its standing among the leading engineering higher education institutions in Uzbekistan.
One of the most notable initiatives voiced during the conference was proposed by Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar—the idea of organizing the Central Asian stage of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition in Uzbekistan in the coming year. This proposal generated strong interest among participants and organizers, who viewed it as a promising step toward enhancing regional cooperation, increasing student mobility, and strengthening innovation ecosystems across Central Asia.
The international activities of Ostanaqulov Xojiakbar in China reflect his active involvement in global innovation processes, his confidence in international academic communication, and his growing professional presence on the global stage. His participation in both the competition and the conference stands as a clear example of how young specialists from Uzbekistan are increasingly contributing to international innovation and academic dialogue.
It was a spring day, magnolias breathing fragrance.
I came, my gown trailing fluttering butterflies,
Eyes soft as rippling autumn waters,
Graceful in every step,
A faint smile playing on my lips.
There thou stoodest beneath the magnolia tree—
Still the gentle, noble gentleman of yore,
Gazing at me, transfixed,
Lost in a trance,
Lost in a dream.
My beloved,
Dost thou recall our pact from that past life?
The sacred oath we swore beneath this very tree?
I stretch out my palm—
A crimson mole bears witness.
For this moment of reunion,
I have waited a thousand years.
Throughout these thousand years,
I wandered through a thousand mountains and rivers,
Until my face bloomed like a white magnolia—
Just to mirror, in the lake of thy heart,
That fleeting glance, that soft smile of yore.
A longing woven through three lifetimes,
At long last, no longer adrift.
This moment—
Is but a dream,
A sweet intoxication.
In dreams,
That thousand-year-long yearning
Turned into one beautiful encounter after another:
Meeting thee, beneath the magnolia tree.
That longing embroidered deep in my heart
Unfolded into an endless, tender rapture.
I wake at the dawn of spring,
As if thou wert right beside my pillow—
Thy scent within reach,
Thy warmth lingering in my palms,
Thy tenderness still imprinted on my brows.
My beloved,
Follow the path from our dreams,
Go find that magnolia tree.
Upon its blooms—lingers my fragrance,
Within its boughs—our hearts reflect each other.
When thou findest it,
I shall come.
Paradise on Earth – Shangri-La
By Lan Xin (China)
High-dimensional winds gently push open the gate of light above snow-capped peaks
Wooden houses, mirrored by starlight, sink softly into lake waves
Meadows stretch beyond clouds, reaching all the way to the Milky Way’s edge
Gramophones spin, as if carrying time along at a slow, gentle pace
Libraries hold atlases, their pages painted with rivers and mountains
Songs of all ethnic groups drift together across the vast cosmic galaxy
No gunsmoke sears the wings of doves
No strife tears apart the veins of our planet
All living things unfold, blooming into the shape of love—
Different faiths overlap here, weaving a single tapestry of peace
Different languages all speak of the longing for “harmonious coexistence”
Different skin tones gather here, merging into a single warmth
Different ethnic groups weave here, crafting a shared tranquility
Diverse cultures blend closely, like snow-capped mountains with all creation
If you ask, what color is an ideal world?
It is the cosmic light held together by all skin tones
It is the song of peace sung in the same heartbeat by all
It is a tender love letter from Shangri-La to the world
It is a pure paradise bathed in the glow of sun and moon
It is a paradise on Earth lifted by snow-capped peaks
It is a spiritual home that crosses mountains and seas
It is the mystical Eastern land written of by Western pens
It is a Utopian dream where humanity transcends dimensions
It is a beautiful model of boundless coexistence in the world
May the love of the universe flow across every mountain and river on Earth
May every corner of the world mirror the image of Shangri-La
May every face glow with the smile of earthly happiness
May every soul find the Shangri-La—within their hearts
Profile of Lan Xin (Lan Xin Samei)
Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei) is an internationally renowned Chinese-English bilingual writer and translator, the only female inheritor of UNESCO Memory of the World-listed Dongba Culture, Dean of Lanxin Samei Academy and Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy, and laureate of Premio Letterario Internazionale Francesco Giampietri.
Her works have been translated into English, French, German, Italian and other languages. Her original Lan Xin’s Wisdom Quotations has captivated over 100 million readers at home and abroad, delivering Chinese culture and philosophical wisdom to the world. Widely acclaimed by international media, she has been hailed as the “Ambassador of Universal Love”, “Cultural Envoy Between East and West”, “Epitome of Multicultural Integration” and “Guide for Contemporary Women”, standing as a paradigm for the global dissemination of Chinese culture.
Always fills the green with something mournful to dear
The road is covered with snow
Thoughts are lying on the misty, snow-covered road
When the deaths and wounded are whispering with the angels
Then at the same time the earth is firing too much
How can I propose to my dear, “Love”
Love has been transformed to the unknown phase
Here nothing blooms to be gold
Nothing blooms to look at the rose.
Md. Mahbubul Alam is from Bangladesh. His writer name is Mahbub John in Bangladesh. He is a Senior Teacher (English) of Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. Chapainawabganj is a district town of Bangladesh. He is an MA in English Literature from Rajshahi College under National University. He has published three books of poems in Bangla. He writes mainly poems but other branches of literature such as prose, article, essay etc. also have been published in national and local newspapers, magazines, little magazines. He has achieved three times the Best Teacher Certificate and Crest in National Education Week in the District Wise Competition in Chapainawabganj District. He has gained many literary awards from home and abroad. His English writings have been published in Synchronized Chaos for seven years.
Once when he was in grade ten in 1990, his Bangla letter was selected as the best one from Deutsche Welle, Germany Radio that broadcast Bangla news for the Banglalee people. And he was given 50 Dutch Mark as his award. They would ask letters from the listeners to the news in Bangla and select one letter for the best one in every month.
From 17 to 30 September, in 2018 he received a higher training in teaching English language in Kasetsart University of Thailand for secondary level students through a government order from education ministry.
On 06 November 2015 he achieved Amjad Ali Mondal Medal for his contribution in education field by a development organization in the conference and felicitation function for the honorable personalities at Rajshahi College Auditorium.
On 30 December 2017 from West Bengal in India he was declared a ‘Literary Charioteer’ in Bangobandhu Literary and World Bango Conference and they awarded him with a Gold Medal in their International Literary Conference and Prize Giving Ceremony.
In 2018, he achieved Prodipto Lirerary Award in Prodipto Literary Conference at Kesorhat, Rajshahi for poems in Bangla literature. He received honorary crest from the administration of Chapainawabganj District Literary Conference and Cultural Function in 2021 and 2022 consecutively.
His poems have been published in many international online magazines such as Juntos Por las L Raven Cage Zine, and Area Felix. His poems have been translated and published in Argentine and Serbian, and he participated in many international online cultural meetings.
The Importance of Transitioning to the Second Curve in life transitioning to the second curve in life is a crucial factor . Without reaching the end of the first path, why do you consider it right to move to the second path without hesitation ? One thing must not be forgotten: having alternative options in life allows a person to easily navigate out of the most complex situations and prevents harm to their personality and social status due to negative events. I believe this is essential.
Charles Handy , in his book The Second Curve , rightly states , ” Before the decline of the first curve, transitioning to a new direction is true success . ” This clearly indicates that in life , a person should not be limited to one thing but should always seek new directions and hobbies.
Transitioning to the second curve may seem difficult at times because our close ones or family members may not understand this. They might ask , “Why do you need this? What will you do? Everything is fine with you,” and similar questions can continue. However , considering that not everything in life goes as we expect or desire, we can respond to such questions by saying, ” Yes , everything can be in my life , but I always want to open myself to new things, and I hope you understand my decisions . “
No matter how important the first curve is in life , transitioning to the second curve can be challenging because the beginning of the path always seems difficult. Repeated efforts, failures, and great experience are needed to carry both curves simultaneously, and of course, resilience is also required. When choosing a new path, it is essential not to be passive and to clearly define goals and objectives. Every step taken should be well thought out, just like in a chess game. Sometimes, in both personal and social life, we may not have enough courage to transition to the second curve. One of the main reasons for this is the fear left by past memories. If a person cannot overcome this fear, they lose themselves , their values , and even their identity . In the end , this only harms themselves .
Courage is about learning from the past , accepting it , and living with hope for better things . Transitioning to the second curve and giving oneself another chance is very important . In life , a person who does not make mistakes is not themselves , but correcting those mistakes and learning from them is not something everyone can do .
Embracing Growth and Overcoming Fear in Life one of the essential principles when transitioning to the second curve in life is always being ready to grow and learn. As a person learns, they become more adept at navigating life’s complexities. Despair becomes foreign to such individuals. Only those who extract the necessary lessons from every fall and pain can advance boldly in life without fear . Fear is the opposite of victory , whether in personal or social life .
Constantly fearing risks , a person may only console themselves with past memories, endlessly lamenting , ” Why is not my life like theirs ? ” Such thoughts lead to stress and stagnation. Taking a step forward with courage can change many things in life. If success follows, it’s a reward; if not, it becomes a lesson and motivation to try again.
Facing fear with confidence the only effective way to overcome fear is to look it straight in the eye. No matter how difficult it may seem, everything that happens in our lives occurs for a reason and only in certain parts of our journey. Even people we encounter are part of this. Pain and challenges serve to strengthen and enrich us. Initially, these words might sound unusual, but as time passes, when presented with an opportunity to choose a different path, old roads and familiar faces may reappear . In those moments , we must remember the new steps we’ve taken. The past cannot be undone , and the future hasn’t arrived yet . Therefore , to live today as we’ve always dreamed, we must be willing to transition to the second curve , even if the first curve has not concluded.
Physical fatigue is insignificant if the spirit remains strong. If fears are not conquered, life may seem meaningless . That’s why we should always be open to new paths and goals. “Just because it did not work once does not mean it never will.” Renewed effort, confidence, and patience will lead you to the results you seek.
Another remarkable sentence from Charles Handy ‘s book that resonated with me is: “Money is a good servant but a bad master.” This emphasizes that earning money should not become our sole purpose; instead, we should view it as a mere tool. Money is akin to a deceitful friend — It remains with us only as long as we can control it . The duration of its presence depends on how we manage our relationship with it . The Role of Money and Our Relationship with It . Money should merely serve as a tool to achieve our goals , not become the ultimate objective . If we make earning money our sole purpose, we risk losing control over it. Our values and dignity, especially in the eyes of our loved ones, should not be measured by wealth. In this world, not everything can be bought with money , nor is everything measured by it. Therefore, we must focus on what truly matters to us and treat money as a servant, not a master, to avoid losing our true selves.
We should not work for money ; rather , money should work for us. If we allow money to dictate our actions, we risk straying from our path.
The Importance of Making Independent Decisions in Life one of the greatest acts of kindness we can do for ourselves in this life is to be able to make our own decisions . When someone else makes decisions on our behalf , we become like puppets, losing our autonomy. In such situations, life loses its meaning and excitement. What I mean to convey here is that in life, when choosing the second path , it is crucial that our loved ones do not exert undue influence on us . Only by acting based on our own principles and decisions can we reach the pinnacle of success . Whether people see our failures depends entirely on us. One of the key secrets to success is the ability to keep things confidential . Not everything happening in our lives should be shared with everyone, because not everyone wishes us well . Choosing the Second Curve: A personal journey when you opt for the second curve in life, keep it to yourself . Let your results speak for you. The less we engage in exhausting debates and the more we distance ourselves from people who drain our energy, the easier and more effective our journey toward our goals becomes.
Achieving Success in Business: Embracing the Second Curve in business, to attain success, it is essential to develop a comprehensive plan that considers every aspect, including both positive and negative factors. Only by doing so can we ensure that when we transition to the second curve , our lives open up to positive paths . Embracing change and being able to accept each innovation correctly and attentively transforms a true businessman into a professional who possesses a personal brand and does not lose himself in the market . Transitioning to the Second Curve: Embracing New Opportunities the first curve in life serves as a test, while the second curve represents opportunity and experience. This principle is fundamental both in life and in business . Stepping out of comfortable circumstances and creating a new era for ourselves is facilitated by embracing the second curve.
The Power of Self-Confidence in Life and Business the greatest success and the strongest driving force in life and business is our self-confidence . It transcends all other factors . Only we and our actions can propel us forward . No matter how many times our efforts seem futile , our ability to find strength to start anew depends on our self-confidence. Even when transitioning to the second curve without completing the first , this confidence is crucial . Taking steps forward and embracing risks are fundamentally driven by our belief in ourselves . Maintaining Confidence and taking bold steps forward . No matter what happens , we must strive to never lose our self-confidence . If we fall , we fall to the ground , not to the sky. Every step taken with confidence is rarely accompanied by mistakes or shortcomings . Some defeats serve as tests of our willpower . Rather than hesitating and standing still , we should make plans and set goals to take bold steps forward with unwavering confidence .
Summary : Embracing the Second Curve with Confidence and Action in summary , transitioning to the second curve in life and business represents a pivotal opportunity for growth and success . However , this shift also brings challenges such as uncertainty and fear. The key to navigating this transition lies in our self -confidence and proactive efforts . While we cannot change the past or undo the first curve , we have the power to shape our future . By embracing the second curve with determination and clarity , we open doors to new possibilities and achievements .
