The two-day International Conference on “The Origins of the Turkmen Nation and History of World Culture” closed in the Turkmen capital.
The scientific symposium initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and organized by the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and the National Institute of Manuscripts affiliated to the Academy of Sciences was dedicated to the important aspects of the study of the history of Turkmenistan and the heritage of the Turkmen people. The forum, which brought together scientists from over 40 countries of the world and Turkmen specialists in Ashgabat, became an important step towards wide promotion and popularization of the great heritage of the Turkmen people worldwide.
It should be noted that the international scientific conference dedicated to the history of the Turkmen people in the context of the history of world culture was conducted in the year of the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence. Gaining independence is a remarkable date that gave rise to the modern history of Turkmen statehood and determining factor for development of the national science. Through the efforts of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the vast opportunities to restore and study the history of the Turkmen nation have been opened up in the epoch of new Revival.
A wide range of issues and over 200 scientific reports and presentations were made at the international conference. The forum programme included the visits to the Nisa Historical and Cultural Reserve and the museums in Ashgabat with the unique collections presenting different epochs and strata of the Turkmen history and culture.
Scientists discussed the important aspects of the comprehensive study of the ethnic history of the Turkmen nation, relationships of the Turkmen people with other peoples of the world and mutual influence of cultures, preservation of historical and cultural monuments and other issues. In this context participants of five sections considered the results of latest scientific research of archaeologists, anthropologists and ethnographers and exchanged views on scientific hypotheses on the origins of the Turkmens and their settlement in countries of the East.
Scientists highly evaluated the activities of the archaeological expeditions engaged in excavations in the territory of Turkmenistan and noted that new facts and indisputable material evidence they provided made to revise the established views on the remote past of the humanity and served as irrefutable evidence that the territory of ancient Turkmenistan was involved into international relations as one of the highly developed civilizations. Some of the reports were dedicated to study of Turkmen folklore and literary monuments, various kinds of art as the sources of important information about the life of the Turkmen people. One of the conference sections was dedicated to present-day Turkmenistan. The reports on the historical processes and changes in the life of the Turkmen state and society in the epoch of new Revival, development of science and culture, international cooperation in these spheres were presented.
Scientists underlined that they had to fill the gaps in the history of ancient Turkmenistan, evaluate its place in the system of the early civilizations in the world and present an objective panorama of the remote and recent past of the wonderful Turkmen land, where the roads of the east and west, north and south crossed, where the dialogue between cultures of different peoples was maintained, where prominent scholars, poets, artists and musicians lived and worked.
Conference participants noted that Turkmenistan located on ancient caravan routes and modern transcontinental highways aroused the intense and unceasing interest of historians. In this regards scientists expressed belief that research activities would be successfully developed due to the progressive policy pursued by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to revive the rich spiritual, cultural and historical heritage of the Turkmen people.
The results of the international scientific conference were discussed during the closing ceremony. Participants were unanimous that this forum significantly had contributed to the further study of the history and culture of Turkmenistan as one of the early centres of human civilization, the ancient centres of science and culture. Also, it had contributed to arousing interest in modern development of the Turkmen state, strengthening scientific and cultural relations among peoples and promoting historical science in the modern period.
Expressing deep gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan for the opportunity to visit Turkmenistan and discuss the issues and topics of particular scientific significance, conference participants focused on the need for further close cooperation on research in the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Turkmen people.
After the International Conference on “The Origins of the Turkmen Nation and History of World Culture” was closed, forum participants adopted the address to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.