Speech by the National Leader of the Turkmen people at the opening ceremony of the monument to Magtumguly Pragy in Astana

07.07.2024

The national Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who was on a working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan to participate in the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, took part in the opening ceremony of the monument to the great poet and thinker of the East Magtumguly Pragy, erected in Astana. During the ceremony, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the participants: Dear Maulen Sagathanuly! Dear participants of the celebration! Ladies and gentlemen! First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, my brother Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, and the entire people of Kazakhstan for the friendly welcome extended to the Turkmen delegation, the invitation to visit a neighboring country and hospitality! Currently, the Turkmen-Kazakh friendship, rooted in the depths of centuries, is further strengthened. In all epochs, being the closest neighbors, our peoples are fraternal, respect each other, maintain good-neighborly relations, follow the traditions of mutual understanding. The erection of the monument to Magtumguly Pragy on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Turkmen poet and thinker in the year "The Storehouse of the Mind of Magtumguly Pragy" in the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Astana – demonstrates that our friendship and brotherhood are eternal and unshakable. I sincerely congratulate the Turkmen and Kazakh peoples, writers, poets and all people who honor the artistic word on the opening of the monument to the great thinker! Just as friendship is glorified in Makhtumkuli's poems, so we, guided by the wonderful wisdom of "Agzybire – tañry biýr", based on our closeness and spirituality, gathering around a single tablecloth, begin great things. Dear participants of the celebration! Dear creative workers! In Turkmenistan, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding master of the word, 2024 has been declared the year of "The Storehouse of the Mind of Magtumguly Pragy". Recently, in a picturesque corner of Ashgabat, in the foothills of ancient Kopetdag, the grand opening of the Magtymguly Pyragy cultural and park complex and the Magtumguly Pragy monument, as well as sculptures of outstanding personalities from dozens of countries, took place. Dear people! The Turkmen and Kazakh peoples are connected by centuries-old historical proximity. If we look at the history of our Kazakh brothers, the installation of a monument to one of the creative figures - Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly – a composer, singer who performed songs of the Kazakh people on a dombra musical instrument in the capital's Magtymguly Pyragy cultural and park complex confirms that our cultural ties have deep historical roots. In the future, we also plan to install a monument to the outstanding Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbayev in Ashgabat. All this is clear evidence that at all times culture, music, poetry and creativity in general play an important role in maintaining close relationships. A significant event in the aspect of further development of bilateral relations in this area was the recent Days of Culture of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana, held at a high organizational level. The poems of our classic poet Magtumguly Pragy vividly reflect the wonderful feelings that arise in the human soul, calls for unity. He is a person who has made a great contribution to the enrichment of not only Turkmen, but also the entire Turkic literature. The rich literary heritage left by the great thinker to future generations has become a universal value today. I would like to note with special pride that Kazakh translators and poets are currently translating the poems of Makhtumkuli Fraga into Kazakh and providing them to readers. Along with this, creative workers of the Oguzkhan Türkmenfilm Association, together with colleagues from Kazakhstan, are shooting a documentary film "Ismim duşdi ilden-ile" in various regions of the neighboring country, dedicated to the life and work of Magtumguly Pragy. We express our sincere gratitude to Kazakhstani literary scholars, writers, poets and masters of arts for their services in studying and popularizing the literary heritage of Magtumguly! Dear Maulen Sagathanuly! Dear participants of the celebration! Taking this opportunity, I once again congratulate all of you on the occasion of the opening of the monument to Magtumguly Pragy in Astana, express my heartfelt gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev and the Kazakh people on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the Turkmen people! The opening of this monument has become a vivid symbol of the further strengthening of friendly, fraternal relations between the two peoples, respect for each other, and the continuation of the precious precepts of our ancestors. May the Turkmen-Kazakh friendship be eternal!