(Article reproduced in full.)
State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)
The international scientific forum dedicated to Ruhnama closed
The Ruhnama - Philosophy of the Third Millennium International Conference worked in the Turkmen capital within two days.
The representative forum organised and held on the initiative and patronage of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov focused on the study of the outstanding historical and philosophical work by Saparmurat Niyazov, the prominent humanitarian and consolidating role of Ruhnama in the contemporary period.
The scientists from different countries worldwide: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Great Britain, Hungary, Greece, India, Jordan, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Russia, the United States, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Czechia gathered in the Turkmen capital to participate in the conference. Among them were historians and political scientists, philosophers and sociologists, experts in literature and culture, the representatives of the large public organisations and translators of Ruhnama in different languages.
Continuing an active dialogue about the role of Ruhnama in the contemporary period the reports and papers were presented at the conference on the second day. Over 150 reports focusing on different aspects of the study of Ruhnama were presented during five conference sessions within two days. The participants discussed the current theoretical and practical questions of the translation of Ruhnama in different languages and shared experience in that field.
The themes of the reports were conditioned by the questions raised in Ruhnama: the national and life philosophy of the Turkmen people, the history of mankind, the modern world and its future, the democratic processes in the Turkmen society, the theory of national development, the neutrality of independent Turkmenistan, etc. Some reports focused on the role of Ruhnama in developing the historical sciences, modern Turkmen linguistics, the new theory of literature, pedagogy, archeology.
Those speaking at the conference emphasized that Ruhnama as a holistic philosophical system underlying the ideology of national self-consciousness, self-identification of ethnic groups in the modern historical period could be regarded as the foundation for qualitatively new relationship in the third millennium. The scientists noted that in the modern period when the world had to face the threats of extremism the book acquired special significance as it taught to respect each other and assume responsibility for the fate of a native land as well as all mankind, therefore the geography of applying the principles set forth in the Turkmen nation's sacred book was quite wide.
The conference was summed up during the closing ceremony. The participants were unanimous that the forum had vividly exemplified fruitful international co-operation aimed at expanding and enhancing contacts among the scientific circles from different countries in the interests of peace, progress and wellbeing.
The participants of the conference visited the largest museums in Ashgabat, the National Cultural Center and the Mosque of Spirituality in Gypjak, walked along the Path of Health. The guests of Turkmenistan continued their acquaintance with the landmarks of the Turkmen capital on the following day.
