― 27 марта 2024 г.

International conference held in Anev, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2024

Following the inauguration of Anev, the Cultural  Capital of the Turkic World  2024, an international conference entitled  "The Ancient  Civilization of Anev" was held on  March 27th, 2024 with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, TURKSOY, the International Turkic Academy and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation.

Prior to the conference, participants attended  an artistic performance on the history and culture of Turkmenistan in front of the House of Civilisation of the city of Anev located in  the Ahal region. Representatives of foreign countries strongly appreciated  the hospitality of their Turkmen hosts as well as the colourful performance and the  festive atmosphere reflecting  the importance given by the relevant authorities of Turkmenistan to the culture and art of the Turkmen people.

Following the artistic performance featuring various dances,  and songs,  protocol members and  participants had the opportunity to visit an exhibition of  Turkmen handicrafts as well as the museum located in the House of Civilisation where they got acquainted with  archaeological artefacts found in Turkmenistan.

In the opening speech he delivered at the  international conference  featuring  various presentations on the historical and archaeological significance of the city of Anev, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev stated that a special parenthesis should be opened to ancient Turkmenistan and the city of Anev which is a cultural basin of key importance in the history of Turkic culture and civilization.

Emphasising that the ancient  culture revealed  in excavations carried out in the Anev region near Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan stands as a testimony of the  rich cultural heritage preserved and transmitted from  past to  present, Secretary General Raev said: 

"The roots of the  culture of Anev, which is admired by many people today with its unique richness, are based on ancient Anatolian civilisations such as the Hittites, Phrygians and Lydians. Then there were cultures such as that of the Roman Empire and Byzantium with the influence of the civilisations that came afterwards.  Later on, the cultural texture of this region  has become even richer through the influence of Islam and the Ottoman Empire. It is this intense  exchange between civilizations which led to  the richness of the cultural heritage of the city of Anev. Located on route of the  historical Silk Road and situated in an extremely important region, Anev has been the cradle of world civilisation in every period of history. This city, which gained a universal dimension with the interaction of Eastern and Western civilisations, has been home not only to tribes of Turkic origin but also to many different civilisations. 

Hence, it is now the most important mission of TURKSOY to introduce the ancient city of Anev and its rich cultural heritage to the world."

The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA) Mr. Mehmet Süreyya Er, and the President of the Turkic Academy Prof. Dr. Shahin Mustafayev as well as the  President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoti Raimkulova also delivered speeches at the conference.