PRESS RELEASE

On June 26, 2019, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Armenia jointly with the Yerevan State University organized a Scientific Conference dedicated to the 295th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet, philosopher and thinker Makhtumkuli Fragi "Makhtumkuli Fragi in the history of world culture".

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of the diplomatic corps of the country, directors of institutes of the Armenian Academy of Sciences in humanitarian areas, rectors of universities, scientists, artists, representatives of the YSU faculties and students took part in the Conference.

The plenary session was conducted by the head of the department of Turkic studies of YSU, professor Alexander Safaryan. The Vice-rector of YSU, professor Arsen Babajanyan welcomed the participants of the Conference with the welcoming message of Yerevan State University Acting Rector, academician, professor Gegham Gevorgian. Afterwords the Ambassador Muhammetgeldi Ayazov welcomed the guests and participants of the Conference and congratulated all of them on the 295th  anniversary of the great Turkmen poet Makhtumkuli.

The former Ambassador of Armenia in Turkmenistan Aram Grigoryan talked about the life of the great Turkmen poet and philosopher and at the end of his speech read one of the poems of the great poet.

The Head of the Department of Turkmen Literature of the Makhtumkuli Turkmen State University Amannepes Shikhnepesov, who specially arrived in Yerevan as the head of the cultural delegation of Turkmenistan, addressed his speech to the participates of the event.

Professor Alexander Safaryan expressed sincere gratitude to the distinguished President of Turkmenistan, Honorary Doctor of the Yerevan State University H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the State award - the “Makhtumkuli Fragi” medal, which he was awarded for his great contribution to the development of Turkmen-Armenian relations in education, science and culture.

Professor Safaryan mentioned that an article “About Armenian-Turkmen cultural ties and scientific and educational cooperation between Armenia and Turkmenistan” by co-writers academician Aram Simonyan and professor Alexander Safaryan dedicated to the proceeding Conference was published in a special Literary Newsletter “Armenological Issues Bulletin”.

The assistant of the Department of Turkology Amalia Petrosyan congratulated the participants in the language of the poet. She noted that it is an honor for her to speak the native language of poet in Turkmen language, which she mastered through the poetry of Makhtumkuli in Turkmenistan, with the help of her Turkmen teachers. And as a former graduate student of the Makhtumkuli Turkmen State University and currently a teacher at the Yerevan State University expressed confidence that the Armenian-Turkmen relations in the field of science will grow in future and Makhtumkuli’s poetry will be the subject of greater interest for a larger number of Armenian researchers.

The speakers emphasized that the creative genius of Fragi, his ardent patriotism, high humanistic ideals and unshakable faith in the triumph of justice, permeating all the works of the poet, played a huge role in awakening and raising the national self-consciousness of the Turkmen people, confidently following the path of unity, peace and creation today. It was emphasized that Makhtumkuli interpreted such eternal concepts, dear to all the nations of the world, as Light and Goodness, Wisdom, Knowledge and Truth.

According to the speakers, today's Conference is a clear evidence that Makhtumkuli’s desire to reflect the truth of life, to know the essence of being and, artistically interpreting this experience, to make it available to his contemporaries and descendants, nowadays, through the centuries, is also acceptable to other nations of the world, including Armenians.

The Armenian poet-translator Varuzhan Khastur shared his experience and spoke about his work on translating Makhtumkuli’s works into Armenian and also read some of his new translations of Makhtumkuli Fragi.

At the end of the Conference the participants enjoyed the performance of Bakhshi, who sang songs to the poems of the great poet and thinker Makhtumkuli.

It was also announced that in the evening in the Concert Hall named after Arno Babajanyan the Embassy of Turkmenistan together with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia organizes a joint Turkmen-Armenian folk music concert performed by folk artists of Turkmenistan Bakhshi and performers of Armenian folk music; and all participants and guests of the Conference were kindly invited to the Concert of friendship of two nations.

 

Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Armenia

Yerevan, June 26, 2019