The following article appeared on the Turkmenistan government website today. It is reproduced in its entirety. (Underlined emphasis added.)
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov takes part in the commemoration ceremony in Gypjak
State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)
22.12.2007
On December 21, Turkmenistan commemorates the mournful event - an anniversary of the death of the first President of independent Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. The national flags in the towns and settlements throughout the country were at half-mast on the commemoration day.
During the past year the Niyazov's family mausoleum in Gypjak settlement has become a pilgrimage shrine for thousands of our compatriots and numerous foreign guests. On that day the people of Turkmenistan came there to pay their last respects to Saparmurat Niyazov. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov took part in the commemoration ceremony.
The participants of the ceremony - the high-ranking members of the Mejlis, the cabinet ministers, the heads and representatives of the diplomatic missions accredited to Turkmenistan, the veleyat khyakims, the clergy, the elders, the specialists of the national ministries and departments and the people of Gypjak and the neighbouring settlements in the Ruhabat Etrap.
A wonderful wreath of flowers on behalf of President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov was laid on the marble slabs of the memorial. The participants of the ceremony laid the flowers. The remembering prayers were offered in the burial vault.
The participants gathered in the special room for the funereal repast. In the accordance with the Muslim traditions and national traditions the funeral rites were performed.
The Turkmen leader addressed the participants of the ceremony. The name of the first President of Turkmenistan will always dwell in the memory of the grateful descendants, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said. Today, Turkmenistan was advancing towards the new heights along the path paved by Saparmurat Niyazov, the Turkmen leader continued. The Turkmen people were engaged in the constructive labour. The President assured, we would continue the work he had started. We realized his aspiration to bring the Turkmen state up to the level of the highly developed countries and our accomplishments on that way would be the best memory of Saparmurat Niyazov.
Regrettably, the Turkmenistan government website rarely mentions
Ruhnama these days - in contrast with the latter years of Turkmenbashy's presidency when it was frequently in the news. However, President Berdymuhamedov's participation in the commemoration ceremony, plus his country's continued recognition of
Ruhnama Day as a national holiday, bode well for Turkmenistan's future advancement towards the envisioned Golden Age.
