The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) organized a significant cultural event to mark the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality and the 330th anniversary of the birth of the great Turkmen thinker Dövletmemmet Azadı. The promotional meeting of the work “Vagzı Azat (Azadı’s Counsel)”, published by TÜRKSOY, was held in Ankara.

Within the mission of preserving and transmitting the shared cultural heritage of the Turkic World to future generations, the meeting brought forward Azadı’s ideas and intellectual legacy.

The event, which attracted considerable interest, was attended by Mekan Ishanguliyev, Turkmenistan’s Ambassador to Ankara; MP Şamil Ayrım, President of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan Friendship Group; TÜRKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf; and numerous academics, researchers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

In his opening speech, TÜRKSOY Deputy Secretary General Sayit Yusuf stated, “TÜRKSOY was founded for these very purposes and these works. Whichever page of our geography or history you turn to, you will find our great ancestors who could inspire the world and even offer remedies for today’s global problems.” Yusuf emphasized that the younger generation must learn this heritage not merely to praise it but to surpass it.

Turkmenistan’s Ambassador to Ankara, Mekan Ishanguliyev, described Azadı’s works as “a true ascent of justice, humanism, and love for humanity.” He noted, “The poet’s thoughts and ideas have not lost their relevance in today’s world; on the contrary, they continue to grow stronger,” highlighting the significance of the work for the entire Turkic World.

MP Şamil Ayrım remarked that Azadı’s counsel reminds us that “the heart, word, and morals of human beings, along with justice and compassion, uphold society,” expressing appreciation for TÜRKSOY’s commitment to promoting such valuable works.

Literary and Intellectual Dimensions of the Book Discussed

Following the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the book’s launch, an academic panel session took place.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Soner Sağlam, the book’s author and a faculty member at Pamukkale University, highlighted Azadı’s vision of fostering Turkmen unity, his linguistic awareness in promoting Turkmen Turkic as a literary language, and his universal humanism, emphasizing the philosophy that “breaking a heart is a sin a thousand times greater than destroying the Kaaba.”

Prof. Dr. Berdi Sarıyev from Ankara University noted that Dövletmemmet Azadı and his son Mahtumkulu were two world thinkers emerging from the same household. He stated that Azadı’s works represent the architecture of classical Turkmen thought and, as National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has expressed, Azadı’s wisdom continues to illuminate the present day.

Additionally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selcan Sağlık Şahin from Ankara University shared insights into Azadı’s reflections on morality, justice, and the journey of wisdom.

The program concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants and a group photo session.