Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan to intensify cultural dialogue
August 10, 2017 | 10:41 |532
14 bilateral documents on cooperation between the two countries were signed during the visit of the Turkmen leader to Azerbaijan. Along with political and economic agreements, agreements on intensifying relations in the cultural and humanitarian sphere have been adopted. During the meeting, the two presidents - Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Ilham Aliyev - emphasized the common history, cultural and spiritual heritage that unite the Turkmen and Azerbaijani peoples. In continuation of these traditions, the leader of Turkmenistan offered to organize annual creative exchanges with the participation of art masters, youth and children's creative teams. Such contacts will promote closer communication between the cultural figures of both countries, providing an opportunity for both well-known and little-known artists to enter a new foreign audience. The issues of cultural and humanitarian cooperation are our reflection in the historically significant Declaration on Strategic Partnership adopted by the heads of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. As stated in the Declaration, the fraternal countries will contribute to the provision of favorable conditions for the preservation and development of the ethnic, linguistic and cultural identity of the Turkmen and Azerbaijani diasporas. In addition, both sides will promote the study and dissemination of the Turkmen and Azerbaijani languages, pay attention to the popularization of national literature, and promote contacts between cultural and scientific figures. Thus, at the highest level, much attention is paid to preserving the national identity of the fraternal peoples. The national language and literature are the basis of cultural heritage, part of the cultural code and the eternal spiritual monument of the nation. Spreading the world and taking root in other countries, the national language and literature acquire a special, international status. This fact will contribute to the growing popularity of Turkmen culture outside the country, as well as the growing mutual understanding between the peoples of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. A number of other agreements signed during the visit can be considered a key to the intensification of cultural and humanitarian ties. One of the examples is the corporate agreement on cooperation in the tourism industry. Followed by documentary intentions, concrete steps will affect the increase of counter tourist flows, the growth of popularity of interesting tourist routes. The governments of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan also signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of culture, thus confirming the mutual desire to continue the decades of established relationships that are still relevant today. A symbolical example of this is the award in 2017 of People's Artist of Turkmenistan to the People's Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan Polad Bulbuloglu. It is worth remembering that in 2014 he was awarded the high award of Turkmenistan - the Medal "Makhtumkuli Fragi". The new impetus given to the cultural cooperation of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan at the highest level will open new opportunities for cultural dialogue, and popularization of national arts in the international format. It is worth mentioning the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of copyright and related rights. The generally recognized legal provisions in this sphere enable people engaged in creative activity to obtain exclusive rights to the proceeds from their works on the territory of another country, which will positively affect the interest in creative activity in the territory of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.Eziz Ovezov
