Potato Pancakes Accompanied by Rock 'n' Roll from Pesnyary and Geopolitics at a Belarusian Reception in Ashgabat
Some official receptions are forgotten immediately after the final chord, while others leave a lingering and warm aftertaste. This was precisely the case—lively, emotional, and truly friendly—of the gala evening at the Yildyz Hotel in Ashgabat, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus to celebrate the country's Independence Day.
The historic date of July 3, marking the liberation of the Belarusian capital from Nazi invaders in 1944, traditionally brings together diplomats, ministers, businessmen, and the creative intelligentsia in Ashgabat. But this year, something special lingered in the atmosphere of the evening—a blend of serious geopolitical perspectives and sincere, profound nostalgia for the era when we were part of one great country.
The official part of the evening set a high bar. The head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission, Stanislav Chepurnoy, began with the most important point: gratitude. He recalled that during the war, hundreds of thousands of Turkmenistan's sons fought on the front lines, while home front workers sacrificed their last for the common Victory, nursing the wounded and sharing shelter with evacuated women and children. And then, in the difficult post-war years, Turkmen specialists and trains carrying construction materials helped raise Belarus from the ruins. The memory of this is held sacred in Minsk.
Today, this foundation is being converted into concrete projects. 2026 is a special year for our countries: Turkmenistan is putting into practice the positive nature of its neutrality by chairing the CIS. The head of the diplomatic mission emphasized that in the fall, Ashgabat will host the key event of the year—a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State, which Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko plans to attend. Minsk fully shares the priorities of Turkmenistan's chairmanship.
Business contacts are in full swing, from regular business missions to the upcoming meeting of the bilateral commission on science and technology. Belarus is also proud that its local higher education institution remains a key focus for Turkmen students.
On behalf of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen People Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Deputy Prime Minister Batyr Annayev welcomed the guests. His speech demonstrated the pragmatic and profound perspective of Ashgabat and Minsk.
In the new geoeconomic realities, transportation is becoming a key priority. Turkmenistan, developing multimodal infrastructure in the heart of Eurasia, sees Belarus as a key partner. The integration of transport and transit systems, the growth of rail and road freight transport, as well as digital communications and innovation, are the key growth areas that will shape the agenda for years to come.
Once the official speeches had concluded and the guests were treated to a festive dinner, where the evening's culinary highlight was, predictably, the famous Belarusian draniki (potato pancakes), it was time for the main surprise. It was created by our singers and orchestra, conducted by the tireless maestro Resul Klychev.
The musicians prepared a program with such subtle, impeccable taste that the audience was either transfixed with delight or dancing in time. Scenes of modern Belarus, its castles and forests, flashed one after another on the giant screen, accompanied by a stunning melody. Turkmen classics gracefully intertwined with legendary Belarusian songs—"Alesya," "Belovezhskaya Pushcha," and other hits from the repertoires of the groups Pesnyary, Syabry, and Verasy. A nostalgic aura instantly enveloped the hall, returning adults and serious people to the era of their youth and childhood.
The suspense intensified when whispers in the audience began: "Well, they definitely won't play the super hit 'Kosil Yas Konyushinu'—that requires a hard-hitting rock drive, not an academic orchestra." But the Turkmen musicians know how to surprise. At the height of the evening, they delivered such stylish, powerful, and driving folk rock that the audience literally exploded with applause.
The lead singer was supported by a trio of backing vocalists, who recreated the unique, signature polyphony of the legendary Pesnyary. The guests nodded their heads in admiration, took out their phones, and filmed the performance. Simple and true values—friendship, trust, common roots—once again united everyone without exception.
It was a true shining moment for our artists. Behind this lightness and drive lies a colossal, titanic effort and weeks of rehearsals—the orchestra thought through every detail and utterly captivated the hearts of those present. The highlight of the evening was an encore of "Kosil Yas Konyushinu," this time to a standing ovation from the entire hall.
That evening at Yildiz, there was much discussion about investment, logistics, and transit. But it was music that proved that the most reliable bridges between countries are built where songs that everyone can understand and where sincere applause can be heard.
