Änew, Turkmen capital of the Turkic world is celebrated in Ankara

The events took place under the auspices of the Türksoy, established in 1993. The occasion also commemorated the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and spiritual leader Magtymguly Pyragy. The stage in Arkadag, the new smart-city just built in honour of the former president and 'father of the fatherland'. 

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Demonstrations took place in Ankara in honor of the city of Änew in Turkmenistan, the ancient capital of the region's Turks, proclaimed "cultural capital of the Turanian world" for 2024 under the aegis of Türksoy, the International Organization for Turkish Culture.

Established in 1993 with an agreement signed in Almaty between the culture ministers of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan, it is also associated with the Russian ethnic Tatar republics of Tatarstan and Baškortostan, together with the pro-independence regions of Northern Cyprus and Gagausia on the territory of Moldova.

On this occasion, the 300th anniversary of the birth of Magtymguly Pyragy, poet and spiritual leader of Turkmenistan, promoter of the idea of keeping the Turkmen path sacred, safeguarding the independence and autonomy of the nation from the influence of foreign powers, which still constitutes the guideline of Ashgabat's politics today.

The ceremony was held in the "Turkmenistan" park in Ankara in the presence of the Turkmen ambassador and the Turkish minister of culture together with the general secretary of Türksoy, the Kyrgyz Sultan Raev, in front of the monument to the poet in the Dikmen valley.

Raev recalled that "Magtymguly is a bright and inextinguishable star at the pinnacle of Turkish literature, which has left a profound trace not only in its era, but also in the legacy of all Turanian peoples, and continues to be as relevant as ever."

Extolling the “sophistication of expression and deep inspiration of his verses,” the secretary added that “his works take the reader on an emotional journey, reflecting the spirit of the Turkmen people… Pyragy has enormous significance in the formation of the Turkmen language , and in the integration of the Turkmen tribes into the entire Turanian world”.

The ambassador of Turkmenistan, Mekan Išangulyev, thanked Türksoy and other Turkish organizations for their active participation in the demonstrations, while the rector of the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, Amanmurad Ajdogdyev, in turn underlined the importance of Magtymguly considering him to be at the level of the greats of world literature, and not only of Turkmen culture. The ceremony ended with a folkloric dance show by the Miras ensemble, from the same cultural institute in Ashgabat.

Among other initiatives, a painting exhibition on the theme “Magtymguly and Änew” was inaugurated in the Türksoy exhibition hall in the Turkish capital, with the presentation of the book by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, on “Änew and the culture from the depth of the millennia."

Followed by a thematic concert dedicated to the poet's work, performed by the best popular artists of Turkmenistan: Akmukhammed Khanov, Dovletmurad Khanmammedov, Mejlis Gomčuradov, Maja Orazberdyeva and Gulšat Gurdova.

Last year the Turanian capital was the city of Šuša in Nagorno Karabakh, linked to the 2020 conflict with the Armenians, also provoking contrasting reactions, while the choice of Änew should make the proclamation of the "common Turanian culture" more peaceful, representing a older and deeper dimension.

In the first celebrations in Turkmenistan, the visit to the city was accompanied by a visit to Arkadag, the new smart-city just built in honor of the former president and "father of the homeland", and father of the current head of state, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov , to indicate the way towards the future by recovering the memory of the past.