The Heritage of Magtymguly: The Cultural Foundation of International Cooperation
Culture is a factor of peace and the basis of universal civilization. This concept is the ideological basis of Turkmenistan’s cultural diplomacy. The language of culture is accessible and understandable without translation. Mutual dialogue of national cultures and civilizations, along with strengthening bilateral relations, is of particular importance for the political, economic and cultural rapprochement of continents.
Defining cultural diplomacy, it is necessary to emphasize that it is a public institution that allows the transfer of experience and knowledge from generation to generation in order to promote peace and mutual understanding between peoples. This diplomacy is a sphere of diplomatic activity and is associated with the use of culture as an object and means of achieving the fundamental goals of the state’s foreign policy, creating a favorable image of the country, popularizing the culture and languages of its peoples.
The language of culture and art is a kind of universal language of people’s diplomacy. It is what unites different and geographically distant peoples. Understanding the importance of culture in the dialogue of peoples and its peacekeeping nature dictated all the activities carried out by Turkmenistan, which indicates that our country, under the leadership of Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in its foreign policy strategy relies on the spiritual and cultural component as an important factor in bringing peoples, countries, and cultures closer together.
The inclusion of masters of culture and art in the state delegations is a clear evidence of Turkmenistan’s flexible use of such an effective foreign policy mechanism as cultural diplomacy.
Cooperation with UNESCO occupies an important place in the cultural and humanitarian cooperation of Turkmenistan. Ancient Merv, monuments of Koneurgench, and the ancient fortress of Nisa were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The following are included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: the epic “Gerogly”, the Turkmen national art of singing and dancing “Kushtdepdi”, as well as traditional carpet weaving of Turkmenistan, “The art of making dutar and traditional musical performing art combined with singing”, the multinational nomination “Novruz Bayram” is included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.
Culture is a bridge that unites different peoples and nations. Thus, the inclusion of the collection of manuscripts of the Turkmen philosopher and poet Magtymguly Pyragy in the International Memory of the World List and the inclusion of his 300th anniversary in the UNESCO List of Memorable Dates for 2024-2025 years confirms that the poetic heritage of the great Master of Words is a great, bright, deeply original contribution of the Turkmen people to world culture. After all, today, centuries later, the poetic lines of the great son of the Turkmen people, calling for love for the Motherland, unity and brotherhood, do not lose their relevance. The multifaceted creativity of Magtymguly Pyragy is a natural development of spiritual, artistic-poetic and philosophical values that were created by folklore and the great poets of the East.
The great Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy was born in the year 1724 in the village of Khadjigovshan in the valley of the Etrek River. Magtymguly’s father Dovletmammed Azadi is a poet-philosopher and scientist, founder of the Turkmen classical literature of the 18th century. Magtymguly received his primary education from his father Dovletmamed Azadi, who wrote the famous treatise “Vagzy-Azat”. Magtymguly Pyragy continued his studies at the Shirgazi Madrasah in Khiva and the Gogeldash Madrasah in Bukhara.
Magtymguly Pyragy, has been glorifying the Turkmen people with his immortal works and his very name for about three hundred years. The poet established himself in the souls of the people as the highest confession of eternal spiritual and moral values, firmly entered their consciousness as a guide, unmistakably determining what is good and evil in life, and became an unquenchable light in the eyes of the Turkmen people. The great poet, who dreamed of his people living a peaceful and calm life, being educated, developing their culture, left his compatriots a wonderful poetic heritage filled with wisdom and the warmest feelings. The polished, deep thoughts in these wonderful poems, directed to the future, meet the spiritual needs of not only the Turkmen people, but also all of humanity. That is why the significance of Magtymguly’s poetic heritage, having gone beyond national boundaries, has become an integral part of world literature, a worthy contribution to the intellectual treasury of mankind.
Magtymguly Pyragy is a personality of planetary scale, the ideological content of his work, indisputable moral authority contributed to the fact that the image of the great Turkmen became the messenger of goodwill of the Turkmen people in the establishment of humanitarian relations with the peoples of the world. Magtymguly Pyragy is a poet of eternity. Even time, which is capable of tearing much from human memory, is powerless before the greatness of his work. The reason for such popularity is that his work leaves no one indifferent, it attracts millions of readers with special sincerity, insight, ardent love for the Motherland, for his people.
His poems contain biography, philosophy, and poetry. And this constantly growing interest of people in the poetic heritage of Magtymguly. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Resolution was adopted on the establishment of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and implementation of large-scale anniversary events in 2024 dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the thinker and classical poet of the East Magtymguly Pyragy. And now the International Organization of Turkic Culture has joined this event, called upon to contribute to the promotion of unique creativity, the richest literary heritage of Magtymguly Pyragy in the diverse Turkic world.
He is a poet-thinker who in his literary works developed philosophical thought, illuminated artistic consciousness, described the worldly life of not only the Turkmen people, but also other peoples of the world. Having subtly combined the philosophical views inherent to man about the world, humanity, the Motherland and love, relying on the most advanced ways of thinking, Magtymguly Pyragy was able to deeply penetrate the soul of every person and remained forever in memory. The poet’s patriotic ideas of the unification of Turkmen tribes, and the establishment of a sovereign state are vividly reflected in the poems “The future of Turkmen”, “Invincible”, “Will Search for His People”, “In One Stream”, “Became Secret”, “My Soul” and others. His work was always permeated with the idea of unity, and he saw in this unity the defense of the Motherland. Magtymguly Pyragy became the poet of independence of Turkmenistan and its symbol.
It is known that he was a master of jewelry art, as evidenced by the silver ring kept in the Magtymguly Museum in the poet’s homeland, according to legend, made by the poet himself and intended for his beloved Mengli, to whom the poet dedicated many beautiful poems.
According to the information collected by biographers, Magtymguly began to read Persian and Arabic early, which was greatly facilitated by the home library collected by his father Dovletmammet Azadi.
The poet’s literary heritage consists mainly of ghazals created in the ancient folk form – each represents an arbitrary number of quatrains united by rhyme. For that era, the most accessible and emotionally effective word was poetic, song. The vast majority of poems can be considered songs, they were performed by storytellers and bakhshi singers, and the author himself, accompanied by playing the dutar, to melodies that were often improvised.
Almost all the poems, not counting a few poems that have come down to us, in their content represent a chain of the poet’s thoughts about the world, society and morality. The poet’s work is multifaceted, his songs are an encyclopedia of the life of the people. His poems reflect the life of the Turkmen people, their aspirations and thoughts, sorrows and dreams with liveliness, completeness and involvement. Ordinary people, his contemporaries, saw him as a miracle worker who had mastered all the books, all the sciences of the world.
Today, the work of Mahtumguly Pyragy brings spiritual pleasure not only to the Turkmen people, but also to other nations of the world. At the same time, the poet’s work reflects universal human life issues. It is for this reason that his beautiful poems, sounding on the lips like a song and absorbed by memory as wisdom, have been and are being translated into dozens of languages of the world.
It is worth noting that the name of Magtymguly became known in Romania, with the assistance of the former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Turkmenistan Ion Porozhan. In 2013-2014. a collection of poems by Magtymguly Pyragy translated into Romanian was presented and published.
Based on the high level of bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and Romania, special attention is also paid to the development of cooperation in the field of culture, including mutual study of the cultural heritage of the peoples of two friendly countries.
Thus, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Romania, with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Romania, held a number of cultural events in 2023 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding classic of the Turkmen literature, poet and philosopher of the East Magtymguly Fragi. Among them, the international conference on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Magtymguly Fragi opened the events held in Bucharest and Constansa as part of the Culture Days of Turkmenistan hold On May 22-26, 2023.
Furthermore, on February 15, 2024, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Romania organized an international cultural conference entitled ” Magtymguly Pyragy- Turkmen educator, thinker and poet of the world” and an exhibition dedicated to the poet’s work, which will last until February 25, 2024, at the National Library of Romania.
During the speeches, it was noted about the importance of Magtymguly’s creative heritage in educating the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism, the activities to popularize it, launched in Turkmenistan under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The speakers talked about the influence of the poet’s work on the development of the Turkmen language and literature, Turkmen national identity and statehood, as well as his contribution to the treasury of universal spiritual values. They also discussed the role of Magtymguly Pyragy in the development of international and friendly relations not only in the countries of the East, but also in the world as a whole.
On April 18, 2024, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Romania, with the assistance of the Organization “Spouses of Heads of Diplomatic Missions” in Bucharest, held a literary evening dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the classic Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy. Extensive information about the life and work of the great master of the word of the Turkmen people was presented to the attention of guests. The vastness of the themes and the relevance of the poems to this day have awakened a keen interest among representatives of various countries of the world in further studying the poetry of the Turkmen poet and philosopher. The work of Magtymguly brought world fame, glory and respect to Turkmen literature, which entered the golden fund of world poetry.
On May 17, 2024, a huge park complex dedicated to Magtymguly Pyragy was opened with a magnificent ceremony led by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. In Magtymguly Park there are 24 statues of great poets and philosophers from around the world, including the famous Romanian writer Mihai Eminescu, which once again confirms the good relations between the two countries.
In 2024, the entire world community solemnly celebrates the 300th anniversary of the glorious son of the Turkmen people, the brilliant master of words, the wise poet Magtymguly Pyragy.
