The conference on the development of Turkmen culture and science was held at the Mary Velayat Library. The forum was organized by the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan.
The cabinet ministers, representatives of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, public organisations of the Galkynys National Movement and national ministries and departments, scientists from different countries, Turkmen archaeologists, historians, philologists, cultural and art workers, journalists, specialists of the research institutions of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, teachers of higher educational institutions and colleges gathered together in the conference hall of the new library, which had been recently opened. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Turkmenistan.
In his welcome address to forum participants the President Turkmenistan noted in particular “Relying on our rich culture, mature science and education, on our national traditions in the 20th century we must be well aware of the global development trends. Seeking to achieve these goals, we take particular efforts at the nation level to develop and modernize these spheres to meet modern requirements, revive and preserve the national values as the most cherished treasure, promote them worldwide and bring the future generations to respect them.”
The plenary meeting of the conference was held in the first half of the day. The presentation of the new books by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov “The Living Legend” and “The Good Name is Imperishable” took place during the meeting.
Those speaking at the meeting including a world-known scientist Professor Victor Sarianidi, a prominent anthropologist Nadejda Dubova and Doctor of History Victor Pilipko (Russia) highly evaluated an outstanding contribution the leader of the Turkmen state had made to promote the national science and education, art and culture and underlined the paramount value of his works.
As was reported the Turkmen leader donated the first copies of his new books “The Living Legend” and “The Good Name is Imperishable” to the new Mary Velayat Library during the opening ceremony. Now these wonderful books have a worthy place in the special hall where the Turkmen leader’s works and the other richly illustrated publications about present-day Turkmenistan, the customs and traditions of the Turkmen people and the great changes taking place on the ancient Turkmen land are presented.
The book “The Living Legend” is dedicated to the rich layer of tangible and intangible culture of the Turkmen people – the consummate art of carpet weaving. The colorfully illustrated book is published in the Turkmen, Russian and English languages. The readership significantly broadened due to the translation into one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov who is a connoisseur and expert of Turkmen carpets, an admirer of craftsmanship and talent of Turkmen carpet makers, a devotee of revival of fame and carpet weaving traditions in Turkmenistan has created the favourable conditions for this craft to flourish and reach unprecedented heights.
“The treasures of our state are also beautiful carpets which are compared to unique art pieces.” This Turkmen leader’s statement is the epigraph to his new book which is quite unique edition by the narrative style and a new interpretation of well-known facts and little-studied pages in the history of Turkmen carpet weaving. It is some kind of hymn to Turkmen carpets and craftswomen, a book-reflection, book-admiration and book-invitation to the boundless world of images and symbols of the Turkmen carpet, its inexhaustible ornamental beauty and poetic expressiveness. It is the open door to the universe of the art which arose at the dawn of human civilization and imprinted the long journey of the Turkmen people along the roads of history.
In his introductory address to the readers the leader of the Turkmen state notes that this book is an attempt to present the Turkmen carpet as an integrated phenomenon, comprehend the sources of art laid the carpet reflects, its colourful ‘vocabulary’ and discern the creative matrix which permeated the national culture including music, poetry, architecture, fine and applied arts as a product of the collective genius of the nation and defined their distinct identity.
The book consists of several chapters, including Harmony of the Universe, A Message over Centuries, A Manmade Miracle, Carpet is the Soul of the Turkmen, A Continuation to the Fairytale, and of course many wonderful photographs and illustrations allowing to take a nearly ‘visual’ journey on a magic carpet through centuries and distances...
The lyrical, deeply poetical narration carries the readers to the wonderful land revealing the mystery of the birth of a carpet, its colours and patterns, tracing the evolution of magic symbols endowed in ancient times by the preternatural power. This journey takes the readers to the sultry Karakum Desert and blooming spring pastures, shady gorges of the Kopetdag foothills, the Amu Darya valleys, on the shore of grey Hazar and other amazing parts of the Turkmen land. All these landscapes are captured in the patterns of the Turkmen carpet – one should just get accustomed to them and he will hear the roar of the surf, the rustling of leaves in oases, a melody of the steppe wind or a soft song of sand dunes. It is the nature of our land that gave rise to the specific features of the traditional Turkmen carpet pattern which reflects beauty of the homeland in all its diversity and uniqueness.
The book describes the ornaments incorporated in the national symbols of the Turkmen state, the ancient and rare carpet patterns as well as those invented by Turkmen carpet makers during the years of independence.
The book pays particular attention to the role the carpet plays in everyday life of the Turkmen people, the technique of weaving carpets and carpet articles, their decorative principles and devices, interrelations with various arts and literature and provides the results of archaeological and ethnographic research, the interesting information from the historical chronicle and written sources of the past centuries and retraces ‘the mark’ of the Turkmen carpet in the world art.
One of the chapters is devoted to the unique giant carpets and double-sided carpets created by our carpet makers and carpet pictures which present the trend in carpet weaving actively developed in recent years.
Thus, the new book provides a broad panorama of the Turkmen art of carpet weaving as well as serves as an encyclopaedia in the philosophy of the Turkmen carpet.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s novel “The Good Name is Imperishable” published in Turkmen and Russian is dedicated to the blessed memory of the Turkmen leader’s grandfather Berdimuhamed Annaev, who was known as a notable personality, talented teacher and brave soldier. Addressing the readers, the author writes in this book, “In the fiction and documentary book about my grandfather Berdimuhamed Annaev I proceeded particularly from the fact that, in the opinion of thousands of people, he left bright and good memories of himself, and his dignified life and noble activity are of unquestionable humanistic value and considerable social significance. I am proud of being the grandson of him; he is the dearest and close to me. All my life I have been emulating him and trying to take after him in everything.”
The foreword for the book was written by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s father Myalikguly Berdimuhamedov. Magtymguly Fragi’s lines which belong to the treasury of the people’s wisdom became the epigraph to the novel. The novel consists of 10 chapters, whose titles speak for themselves: “Waters Run Along the Old Riverbed”, “A Good Intention is a Half of Welfare”, “Study and Become Personalities”, “The First Path”, “God-Given Gift for Teaching”, “The Roads of War”, “The Profession Which Became the Destiny”, “Great Teacher”, “Shining”, “Archival Documents and Photographs”.
The book is based on a great number of archival documents about Berdimuhamed Annaev’s life and professional activity, the facts established during numerous meetings with his former students and colleagues. All this allowed the author to give a real, historical picture of life in Turkmen villages in that difficult historical period and in an utterly captivating literary form convey vividly, truthfully the specific features of the pedagogical talent and feat of arms of the prominent man such as Berdimuhamed Annaev was.
One of the heroes of the book is Anna aga, the Turkmen leader’s great grandfather. He was a well-educated man of his time who spared no effort to impart knowledge to his fellow villagers. Furthermore, the heroes of the novel are people of different nationalities. This fact evidences tolerance of the Turkmen people serving the cause of friendship and brotherhood between nations over their centuries-old history.
It should be noted that many recommendations provided in the book from “the box of wisdom” of Anna-mugallym and Berdimuhamed aga on the improvement of methods of teaching and upbringing children have not lost importance in modern conditions.
The international conference continued its work during five sessions in the afternoon. The conference participants presented over 130 reports and discussed such issues as the contribution of the Turkmen people to world civilization, priority trends in development of Turkmen science, education, culture and art, the role of national and universal values in education of the younger generation, promotion of museum and publishing activity, the history of book printing, the study of written monuments, etc.