(Article reproduced in full.)
State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)
Moscow readings of Ruhnama
A solemn reception on occasion of the 6th anniversary of the publication of Ruhnama, an outstanding literary work of the first President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov, was held in the capital of the Russian Federation. The action was organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation and the Moscow Society of Turkmen Culture.
The scientists and cultural workers - poets, writers, journalists, philosophers, historians, specialists in theology, the representatives of the Russian public organisations and the leaders of the Turkmen diasporas from the regions of Russia, Russian students and the young citizens of Turkmenistan, who studied at the educational establishments in Russia, were invited to the ceremony at the Embassy of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation.
By tradition, before the official part of the ceremony was started the guests gathered in the cozy hall of the Moscow Society of Turkmen Culture to take part in an informal conversation dedicated to the theme of the festive day - Ruhnama.
Acutely feeling the artistic merits of literary works the guests noted lyricism, sincerity and wisdom of the outstanding book. In particular, a famous Russian poet V. Fomichev said that Ruhnama had inspired him to write two parts of the poem "Reading Ruhnama". The poet said that he intended to continue the work on the poetical cycle, because "reading Ruhnama never ends one can and must turn to it again and again."
Chairman of the Moscow Society of Turkmen Culture Orazgylych Orazmammedov said that Ruhnama had inspired a poet, script writer K. Podyma to write a cycle of songs. The guest recited one of his poems evoked by Ruhnama. The representatives of the Moscow scientific community touched upon an important aspect of Ruhnama - it political and historical value. On behalf of the M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University Professor, Doctor of Sociological Sciences K. Shilin congratulated those present on the 6th anniversary of the publication of the prominent multi-aspect work.
The guests noted that Ruhnama penetrated with the ideas of love and harmony served as a moral treatise for youth as well as many generations of the Russian people.
Upon concluding the official part of the ceremony the guests quoted the famous line of S. Yesenin "The greatness is seen at the distance". Nowadays, it seems quite impossible to make an overall analysis of the deep, multilayer text of Ruhnama therefore the guests expressed belief that with every passing year the traditional Ruhnama Day celebrations in Moscow would reveal new aspects of an inexhaustible source of the knowledge about the Turkmen people.
