OREANDA-NEWS. May 20, 2009. Conference focused on modern Turkmenistan in St. Petersburg.

The Turkmenistan in the Epoch of New Revival conference organized by the Mekan Society of Turkmen Culture in St. Petersburg was held in the northern capital of the Russian Federation. The forum of compatriots brought together about a hundred of participants in the city on the Neva River. The Turkmen delegation consisting of the representatives of the Humanitarian Association of the World Turkmen, cultural workers and journalists had arrived in St. Petersburg to take part in the conference. The delegates were the envoys of the Turkmen diasporas from Sweden, Germany, Austria, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Finland, Stavropol Region, Voronezh, Irkutsk and Astrkhan Oblast.

The compatriots forum was timed to the remarkable dates of the national calendar of Turkmenistan – Constitution, Revival, Unity and Magtymguly’s Poetry Day and an anniversary of establishment of the Humanitarian Association of the World Turkmen. Established in May 1991 the Humanitarian Assertion turned into an authoritative international organisation that was illustrated by the forum aimed at expanding creative and spiritual ties with foreign compatriots and introducing Turkmenistan’s achievements gained in the epoch of Great Revival.

The fact of participation of the Turkmen delegation in the St. Petersburg forum testified to the successfully developed Turkmen-Russian relations including cooperation between Turkmenistan and the city on the Neva River – the large industrial, scientific and cultural centre of the Russian Federation.

In the early morning the conference participants laid flowers to the Monument to the Motherland and the memorial slab in the Piskarev Cemetery to the heroes of Turkmenistan who had perished defending St. Petersburg.

The representatives of the Turkmen diasporas from St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, Turkmen young people who studied at the higher schools in the city and officials of the municipal administration took part in the ceremony of opening the Turkmenistan in the Epoch of New Revival conference which took place in the concern hall of the St. Petersburg Hotel.

Addressing the forum the organizers congratulated the participants and guests on the remarkable national holiday and focused on special significance of the forum aimed at further strengthening the ties among compatriots, who resided in different countries worldwide, widely presenting Turkmenistan’s home and foreign policy strategies, propagating Turkmen culture and art across the world.

On behalf of the St. Petersburg municipal administration A. V. Prohorenko, Chairman of the Committee for External Affairs greeted the forum participants and expressed belief that this meeting on the banks of the Neva River would promote enhancing the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation with Turkmenistan, which had become well-known across the world and acquired a reputation of the state constituently pursuing the policy of peace and good neighbourliness due to President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov’s efforts.

Addressing the forum the representatives of the Humanitarian Association told about the present day of the Motherland, large-scale and innovative reforms carried out throughout the country on the initiative and under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov.

The representatives of the Turkmen diasporas said that the policy of wide international cooperation initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov considerably contributed to strengthening their ties with the historical homeland. Greeting cordially the forum participants the heads of the state enterprises of St. Petersburg and top managers of the Russian companies including Yarovit, Vozrozhdenie, Raritet, Grupa Petroles welcomed the fact of holding the conference in Russia’s northern capital noting that it was another step to enhance business and humanitarian cooperation between Turkmenistan and the large region of the Russian Federation.

The conference participants adopted the Address to President of Turkmenistan, Chairman Humanitarian Association of the World Turkmen Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov.

Upon concluding the conference the Turkmen artists – popular signers and musicians, artistic groups performed the songs, melodies and inflammatory dances.

The conference participants visited the landmarks of St. Petersburg.