Important issues of cooperation between Turkmenistan and TURKSOY were discussed

On November 15, 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with a delegation headed by Secretary General of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) Sultan Raev at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

During the meeting, topical issues of cooperation were discussed, promising areas of partnership between Turkmenistan and TURKSA were identified. According to the mutual opinion of the parties, relations between Turkmenistan and TURKSA have noticeably intensified in recent years.

At the beginning of the meeting, the head of the Foreign Ministry, expressing gratitude on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan to the leadership of TURKSA for the work carried out in Turkmenistan and abroad in the field of popularization of Turkmen culture, stressed the organization's enormous contribution to strengthening fraternal ties between the Turkic peoples based on their cultural and basic values.

It was noted that a lot of work has been done this year to hold over 40 different events in honor of significant dates along the TURKSOY line – the announcement of 2024 as the "Year of the great Poet and Thinker of the Turkic world – Makhtumkuli Fragi", the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great classic of Oriental literature, and the election of the ancient Turkmen city of Anau in as the cultural capital of the Turkic world.

Among the most important events noted were the celebrations held in March this year on the occasion of the announcement of the city of Anau as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024, as well as the launch ceremony of events scheduled to be held in accordance with the honorary status delegated to the city, the II Theater Festival of the TURKSOY member countries, the I Biennale of Fine Arts of the Turkic World, the annual a meeting of museum heads and a meeting of writers from TURKSOY member countries, as well as the Gorkut ata International Film Festival.

In continuation of the meeting, the interlocutors stressed the importance of holding on November 16 this year the final solemn events on the occasion of the declaration of the city of Anau as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024, as well as the next meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of the TURKSOY member countries and the concert of masters of arts of the Turkic states.

The participants placed special emphasis on the organization of upcoming joint events scheduled for 2025.

Secretary General TURKSOY asked the President of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan to donate the book "Anau – culture from the depths of millennia", published in Turkish.

As part of the events on the occasion of the announcement of the city of Anau as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024, TURKSOY organized contests of works of art and essays. During the meeting, S. Raev also handed over to the Turkmen side a collection of works by the finalists of the art competition "Turkmenistan and the Turkic World through the eyes of young artists" and a collection of works by the winners of the competition "Makhtumkuli Fragi – thinker and poet".

Along with this, the Turkmen side received a Report on TURKSOY's activities (October 2023 – September 2024).

R. Meredov noted that Turkmenistan considers TURKSOY as a connecting bridge between ISESCO and UNESCO. It was also said that TURKSOY is creating new formats of cooperation, in particular, the Meeting of the National Commissions for UNESCO of the TURKSOY member countries.

At the end of the meeting, the interlocutors stressed the fruitful nature of Turkmenistan's cooperation with TURKSA, aimed at preserving, studying and popularizing the richest cultural heritage of the Turkic-speaking peoples in the world.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan