The capital hosted a Forum entitled “Türkmen-Hytaý zenanlarynyň dünýäsi” with the participation of a Chinese delegation led by the Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shen Yueyue, who had arrived in our country to participate in the festive events marking the 300th birth anniversary of the great classic poet of the Turkmen people Magtymguly Pyragy.

Before the start of the work of the forum at the Maslahat Köşgi Palace, the spouse of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova greeted the guest of honour.

The spouse of the Hero-Arkadag warmly welcomed Ms Shen Yueyue to the ancient and hospitable Turkmen land, in the capital of our Motherland – Ashgabat and emphasised that, as the Turkmen people say, “holidays attract holidays”, noting that those days our country was celebrating the 300th birth anniversary of the great thinker of the East, the classic of Turkmen literature Magtymguly Pyragy.

Expressing sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality, the guest said she was happy to visit Turkmenistan for the first time, where she would take part with great pleasure in the celebrations marking the significant events.

Heartily congratulating the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag and the Turkmen people on the 300th birth anniversary of Magtymguly Pyragy and the Constitution and State Flag Day of Turkmenistan, Ms Shen Yueyue expressed admiration for the white-marble city of Ashgabat as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

It was emphasised that the relations between the Turkmen and Chinese peoples had deep historical and cultural roots going back centuries. Noting that we shared common features, the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag stated the good neighbourly and fraternal relations between the two countries, built over centuries, had been developing even more actively in recent years.

In this regard, highlighting the importance of high-level visits, Mrs Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova mentioned the working visit of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Beijing the year before, during which she, as a member of the government delegation, took part in cultural events.

It was noted that such events played an important role in strengthening cultural cooperation, brought peoples closer together and contributed to mutual enrichment of cultures.

Thanking Mrs Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova for her kind words and wishes, the guest emphasised interaction between the peoples of the two countries, indeed, was based on the ties of friendship and brotherhood, noting the importance of strengthening the traditional cooperation.

Taking the opportunity, the spouse of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova asked to convey the warm greetings and an invitation to visit Turkmenistan, as well as the sincerest wishes for good and prosperity to the family members and the spouse of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Peng Liyuan.

During the meeting, a granddaughter of the spouse of the National Leader of the Turkmen people Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova said she had received a toy panda during the trip together with her grandfather to China the year before that had greatly impressed and encouraged her to develop and embroider an ornament. The girl requested that her gift would be presented to the family of President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping.

Expressing heartfelt gratitude for the unique gift and invitation to the family of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, the guest noted that meeting was filled with memorable moments for her.

Warmly thanking the girl for such a wonderful gift, the guest said the ability of the younger generation to perform such labour-intensive work vividly evidenced that the centuries-old traditions of the Turkmen people were passed on from one generation to another in a worthy manner.

Shen Yueyue presented a memorable gift to the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag.

The guest asked the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag and her granddaughter Ayjeren to take a picture for memory.

In conclusion, the spouse of the National Leader of the Turkmen people Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova and the Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shen Yueyue took part in the Forum “Türkmen-Hytaý zenanlarynyn dünýäsi”.

This forum is an illustrative example of the large-scale multifaceted work being done in the period of the Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State to foster a dialogue between Turkmen and Chinese women and to build up their capacities in promoting the interstate relations.

The heads of the Türkmenhaly State Association and the Central Council of the Women’s Union of Turkmenistan and the Editors-in-Chief of the Neutral Turkmenistan Newspaper and the Zenan Kalby Magazine attended the event from the Turkmen party.

In her opening remarks, the spouse of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova noted that visit of the Chinese delegation to our country had coincided with the celebration of the 300th birth anniversary of the great Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy and the Constitution and State Flag Day.

Expressing belief that the forum would make a worthy contribution to Turkmenistan–China relations, the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag emphasised the Turkmen-Chinese relations that had emerged during the period of the Great Silk Road, serving as a unique bridge of trade and cultural ties, had a rich history.

In our countries, women are treated with great respect and make a significant contribution to the great deeds being done in independent and permanently neutral Turkmenistan under the leadership of Arkadagly Hero Serdar and the Hero-Arkadag.

Turkmen women make magnificent carpets and embroideries with their talented hands. Their creations are a shining symbol of inimitable craftsmanship and hard work. Over many centuries, this high art has been passed on from mother to daughter, from one generation to another and become a unique school of upbringing.

We were not only discussing business relations among women, but also sharing mutually beneficial life experiences at that meeting, the spouse of the Hero-Arkadag emphasised.

The Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shen Yueyue and the delegates of the forum delivered their welcoming speeches, emphasising the significant role of this event in strengthening cooperation between Turkmen and Chinese women. The preservation and enhancement of spiritual values offer inexhaustible opportunities for bringing peoples closer together for the sake of peace and friendship, fostering mutual enrichment of cultures and mutual understanding of our peoples and expanding humanitarian dialogue.

It was emphasised that in recent years, the Turkmenistan–China cooperation had received a qualitatively new impetus through the joint efforts. Regular contacts at the top, governmental and interdepartmental levels boost the bilateral cooperation.

The visits of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the People’s Republic of China last year were the important events in the history of the interstate relations. The meetings and talks held, the agreements reached and the documents signed during the visits vividly illustrate the commitment of Turkmenistan and the PRC to long-term multi-vector partnerships and the most effective implementation of the existing substantial potential in various fields.

It was noted that the meeting was a good opportunity to exchange information about the achievements of Turkmenistan and China and plans in that important area and to identify the prospects for enhancing interaction between women’s associations of the two countries in common interests.

The participants expressed gratitude to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the Hero-Arkadag for the opportunity to organise the Forum “Türkmen-Hytaý zenanlarynyn dünýäsi”, aimed at strengthening and enriching the long-standing spiritual ties between the Turkmen and Chinese peoples with new content.

The forum delegates continued their acquaintance with the intangible culture and traditions of the Turkmen people in the foyer of the Maslahat Köşgi Palace, where an exhibition, featuring the works of applied art and museum collections, was organised. The magnificent specimens of the national art of carpet weaving, the ornamental symbolism of embroidery, musical instruments, skilled jewellers’ works and artists’ paintings contain a deep meaning, revealing the soul of the Turkmen people and the beauty of their homeland in all its diversity.

At the exhibition, a film, featuring the Hero-Arkadag’s granddaughter Ayjeren engaged in needlework, drawing sketches and ornaments, based on the gift brought from China, was demonstrated. It reflects the desire of the young Turkmen girl to maintain the centuries-old craft of her ancestors and to develop the unique fine art of Turkmen women.

The exhibition consisted of six sections featuring ancient and modern patterned carpets and carpet products, national costumes, ornamental carpets, handmade embroidered and knitted items, silver jewellery and silk carpets.

The exhibition featured classic ornamental carpets, wool and silk, landscape panels and magnificent carpet paintings. All of them are distinguished by fabulous colour harmony, unique exquisiteness and individual creative approach.

There was a wide variety of carpet products and tapestries, a large collection of all kinds of souvenirs, bright handbags, colourful specimens of national embroidery and decorative arts made of shiny silk fabric keteni.

The spouse of the Hero-Arkadag said the first section featured the carpets made in the 18th and 19th centuries, woven by our women for household purposes, patterned bags, sack bags, ensi, capes and others.

The guests could see the items made in modern times and decorated with modern designs. The main feature of these carpets is that they have the patterns characteristic of the regions of the country.

The second section featured ancient and modern national costumes of Turkmen women, embroidered with new types of patterns, which testified to the high skills of Turkmen women.

The spouse of the Hero-Arkadag showed the participants and guests of the forum the ornamental carpets, including the carpets featuring Magtymguly Pyragy – the symbol of 2024 in our country. The unique carpets – “Pazyryk” and “Güberçekli Aždarha şekilli”, the creation of which had required great talent and skills, occupied the central place of the exhibition. People call this carpet “Syrlar sinen nepislik” (“Elegance shrouded in secrets”).

Pazyryk carpetis one of the oldest in the world. The copy woven by our carpet makers reproduces exactly the pattern of its famous “ancestor”, and the original carpet is on display in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

The fourth section featured hand-embroidered and knitted items, women’s capes woven using the “kakma” method, wedding kurte and sleeveless vests.

The fifth section featured many silver jewellery pieces made by skilled masters. A Turkmen woman looks very attractive when she wears a national costume together with jewellery – brooches, bracelets, gupba, necklaces and others.

In the sixth section, the delegates could see the carpets woven from silk obtained from silkworms. Unlike wool carpets, silk carpets are thinner and more durable.

The spouse of the Hero-Arkadag drew the attention of the guests to the carpet weaving looms, on which a carpet with the pattern guşly göl was being woven.

The forum delegates could see the finished carpet being cut from the loom. It was noted that it was a tradition of our people to begin to weave a carpet with good intentions, and skilled craftswomen are entrusted to tie the first knots and cut the finished carpet.

The spouse of the National Leader of the Turkmen people Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova invited the guest of honour to take part in cutting the carpet in accordance with the national traditions of the Turkmen people.

In conclusion, the Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shen Yueyue once again expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality and an opportunity to visit exhibition of Turkmen carpets and to learn about the national values of the Turkmen people.

Mrs Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova presented the guest the book Arşyn Nepisligi by the Hero-Arkadag about the art of Turkmen carpet weaving as a gift.

…As part of anniversary events, the Chinese delegation led by the Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shen Yueyue took part in the International Conference of Ministers of Culture that marked the 300th birth anniversary of Magtymguly Pyragy and the opening ceremony of the Magtymguly Pyragy cultural and park complex and a monument to the outstanding classic of Turkmen literature.