Oriented on making people closer

The Turkmen capital marks its anniversary – it will be 140 years of its foundation. The presentation of the book by the Turkmen president “Ashgabat - The White City” was also devoted to this event.

This book today has brought together citizens of different countries and various nationalities, people of different political and ideological views at the Institute of International Relations.

People are of different skin colours and professing various religious postulates.

But the Turkmen capital which is described in the book by the head of the state, not only has brought people, but also has united them by its beauty, originality and certainly, their love for it.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Turkmenistan Matthew Stephen Klimov spoke the following about it as well as symbols which are very important in the work of diplomats:

– Diplomacy puts supreme value on symbols. Symbols are important in our tradecraft. The United States places value in our bilateral relationship. The presence of an ambassador is a symbol of respect to your country.

And when it comes to symbols, what can be more symbolic than the buildings and monuments that cohesively comprise the capital city of a country?

Why do we need symbols? The answer is to unify, inspire, and help define an idea. Symbols simplify complex ideas and concepts.

The architecture of Ashgabat, its monuments, broad avenues, glorious fountains, and beautifully lit buildings, convey a strong symbol of this country.

The inspiring monuments of Ashgabat remind us that Turkmenistan followed its own path to a new era of neutrality.

A capital city of a nation is an important part of that nation’s identity, and a testament to its history. A capital city is its living history!

It can be of no surprise to anyone, then, that His Excellency President Berdimuhamedov chose to write a book about Ashgabat and the powerful symbols we find throughout this city.

Ashgabat is a symbol of the future! The bold outlines of the city speak to the desire we all share for prosperity, permanence, and productivity.

The buildings, parks, and fountains of Ashgabat that we love most, stir up feelings in us that aren’t easy to quantify.

As future diplomats, I hope that you find symbols that enhance your work. Symbols that inspire. Symbols that evoke emotion. Ashgabat, this beautiful white city, can certainly serve as a starting point.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkmenistan Alexander Blokhin also expressed his admiration of Ashkhabad, its unique beauty with inspiration described in the book by the president of Turkmenistan:

– From the moment of its foundation in 1881 Ashkhabad was the place where amicably where Turkmens, Russian and other people live in unity. The city quickly developed, becoming a centre of mutual infiltration of cultures.

During the Great Patriotic War many residents of Ashkhabad went to the war to protect their Fatherland, in hospitals of the Turkmen capital they fought for the saving of lives of the men wounded at the battle fields. For the sake of the Victory the enterprises that were moved here tirelessly worked.

After the terrible earthquake of 1948 the entire country, only having recovered from war, revived the destroyed Ashkhabad.

In recent years the capital of independent Turkmenistan has blossomed, its architectural shape has transformed beyond recognition. In modern Ashkhabad «harmoniously surprising beauty of nature originally blends with the beauty created by human» and «variety of natural riches» is harmoniously combined with «variety of various epochs».

The book “Ashgabat - The White City” expresses all love of the head of the state for the Turkmen capital. This informative and colourful work is one more monument to Ashkhabad which only has been not cast in metal, but has been created in words and images.

If now its inhabitant from far 1881 would have visited Ashkhabad - he could hardly believe his eyes! The frontier settlement with 4 thousand people has turned into the city of future, real made-made oasis on the border with the boundless desert.

The book “Ashgabat - The White City” tells about how all aspects of development of the capital were thought over: from water supply to erection of sports constructions, from public health services to energy security, about already realised town-planning projects and about future, including first of all "Ashkhabad-city".

The foreigners who have even never happened to visit Ashkhabad, can, having read the book by the president of Turkmenistan, experience a rhythm of the white marble coated capital and in imagination can make a journey to streets of this wonderful city.

I want to wish Ashkhabad – the city which lives in the heart of everyone, who has visited here, - and henceforth to be the same fine city.

Let in the next 140 years it be still more beautiful and is more prosperous!

Special representative of the UN secretary general, head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya Gherman also expressed her views of the book “Ashgabat - The White City” very emotionally:

– 140 years for the city from the point of view of history of mankind are a short term. Meanwhile, the prehistory of Ashkhabad goes back to the depth of centuries and, certainly, directly is connected with history of Turkmen people which has ancient roots.

In the vicinities of Ashkhabad there are fortresses of Parthians, ancient Nisa, included in the List of the UNESCO World Heritage. Ashkhabad is located along the Great Silk road, connected Central Asia with other regions of the world.

The city has endured rise and fall, tragic days after the catastrophic earthquake, burden of the Great Patriotic War. Each of us realises importance of history of the city and the country. Without knowledge of history it is impossible to understand the value of achievements of the present.

Present Ashkhabad is the political, economic, intellectual and cultural centre of Turkmenistan. The city has received the world community credit of trust thanks to its constructive foreign policy, sound peace and stability of the state.

These factors constantly influence an increasing role of Ashkhabad as peace-making centre. Today it is a neutral dialogue platform for pressing issues of the world agenda.

Since 2007 in Ashkhabad the headquarters of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia has been located. In the book by the president of Turkmenistan the important actions of regional value organised by the Centre in Ashkhabad are reflected.

The city has become time and again a venue of important negotiations, summits, and also international, economic, cultural and sports actions.

You, certainly, you see, that the main riches of the country are a human potential. The city is famous for its people! Therefore, we would like to thank once again all inhabitants of Ashkhabad for the traditional hospitality rendered to foreign visitors and us, diplomats.

Askhabat residents, who celebrate this anniversary and visitors of the Turkmen capital listened to these and other speeches of those who have come to share with them the joy of holiday.

One listened, others wrote down, and the third – recorded. Who do it as keepsake, and who do it by business. We, journalists have got such job.

Alexander Bayriev