The Akhal-Teke horse is a symbol of our people's creative power

Today, a solemn meeting was held at the Mukamlar Palace of the State Cultural Center, dedicated to the festive events to be held in our country in 2026, which has been named the year of "Independence, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan — the Land of Horse-Swift Attained Dreams." During the meeting, extensive coverage was given to speeches dedicated to the glorious events that have become magnificent pages in the new history of our country, and specifically to the festive events to be held throughout this year, their organizational level, and their significance. This is another clear manifestation of the comprehensive approach taken toward organizing the festive celebrations that hold an important place in the life of our Motherland. The upcoming glorious 35th anniversary of our sacred Independence will become one of the brightest pages in the glorious history of the Turkmen people. In this regard, it is worth noting that our Motherland is reaching new levels of development in all areas, and the state-level efforts made to ensure the happy life of our people are yielding positive results. Participants of the solemn meeting first familiarized themselves with an exhibition organized in the lobby of the Mukamlar Palace of the State Cultural Center. It featured works of applied and decorative arts, museum treasures, as well as works by painters and sculptors dedicated to Akhal-Teke horses. The exhibition gave a prominent place to the wonderful books born from the wisdom of our Honorable President and our Hero Arkadag. In particular, the books by our National Leader, which praise the history and unique characteristics of Akhal-Teke horses, became the main adornment of the exhibition. The works of art displayed, along with information regarding the country's development and the global standing of the Turkmen people's national values, provided an opportunity to become more closely acquainted with the traditions and national principles of our people. The Opening and Speeches of the Solemn Meeting Subsequently, the solemn meeting dedicated to the festive events to be held in the year of "Independence, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan — the Land of Horse-Swift Attained Dreams" began its work in the grand building of the Mukamlar Palace. In the year marking the glorious 35th anniversary of our sacred Independence, extensive space was given to speeches during the ceremony dedicated to praising the famous Akhal-Teke horses and promoting them worldwide. The speakers noted that thanks to the efforts of our Arkadagly Hero Serdar, the large-scale reforms initiated by our Hero Arkadag—who holds horses in special esteem—are being successfully implemented, raising the global prestige of these horses to new heights. Our heavenly horses, exquisite carpets, loyal Alabays, and other treasures are the proud national heritage created by our people throughout history. The state policy worthily continued by our Arkadagly Hero Serdar focuses primarily on promoting the values of the Turkmen people to the world. As is known, the approval of the Program of events for equestrianism and equestrian sports on the occasion of the year of "Independence, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan — the Land of Horse-Swift Attained Dreams" by the relevant Decree of our Honorable President has further enhanced the significance of this glorious year. Celebrating the Independence holiday on a grand scale requires harmonious work starting right now. Making a worthy contribution to the high-level organization of these events is an important task standing before each of us. We say, "Our horses are a model of perfection and the highest degree of beauty." Therefore, the works dedicated to our horses must also be perfect and exquisite. Independence is considered the foundation of our state. Every piece of work we do and every work of art we create in connection with the Independence holiday must be worthy of that lofty status. As emphasized, our Hero Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar place great trust in each of us. Inspired by this high confidence, it is a great honor to be involved in the celebrations held by our peaceful and prosperous state. As is well known from history, horse races and, in general, human-spirited horses have always been the main adornment of Turkmen weddings and celebrations. It is worth noting that Akhal-Teke horses occupy an important place among the national values that the Turkmen people have gifted to the world. In this regard, the historical glory of the winged horses is being revived in the modern era. Turkmen riders actively participate in equestrian sports competitions and international contests held both within our country and abroad, winning prize-winning places. Here, the achievements of the "Galkynyş" National Equestrian Games Group, created through the direct efforts of our Hero Arkadag, symbolize the wide global recognition of national equestrian sports and circus horse artistry. Reflection on Historical Traditions During the solemn meeting, video recordings captured in April 2016 depicting historical moments of the National Holiday of the Turkmen Horse were shown. As seen from the videos, on the occasion of the holiday, our Hero Arkadag, riding a dun horse named Miras presented as a gift on behalf of the country's horse breeders, observed the celebrations organized near the white yurts set up in accordance with national traditions within the framework of the glorious anniversary. The wedding ceremony of the members of the "Galkynyş" National Equestrian Games Group held near the white yurts became the main highlight of that day's event. This testifies to the fact that events of historical significance in the land of Turkmenistan are intertwined with weddings and celebrations, and that the lives of our people are blessed with double celebrations. A wedding ceremony is recognized as a celebration filled with the most significant and memorable moments. This truth was also reflected in the festive celebrations unfolded in April 2016. According to noble tradition, wishes were made for the bride's happiness. Seeing off a daughter into marriage and marrying off a son are considered the most pleasant moments of human life. People prayed for the prosperity of the grand celebrations and wished that they would bring happiness, unity, and abundance to every family. The family traditions of the Turkmen people hold deep meaning, as this principle forms a spiritual bond between generations and adds a unique vibrancy to life. In the celebrations organized here, jokes and joyful laughter took center stage, which elevated the grandeur of the wedding and added to the joy of its participants. The bridal procession (Gelnalyjy) is one of the distinct features of Turkmen weddings. In it, the noble customs of our wise ancestors, originating from the depths of centuries, are celebrated in harmony with the spirit of every era. In the current happy era, the grandeur of these principles is raised even higher. History shows that the Turkmen people have created exemplary world traditions regarding weddings. While raising the status of wedding customs, this is also accepted as a call directing young people toward unity and living in mutual understanding. This reveals the deep meaning behind the unique traditions of celebrations held in the land of Turkmenistan. Our Hero Arkadag congratulated the youth on their wedding day at those very moments. Thus, another family was formed within the glorious "Galkynyş" National Equestrian Games Group. The parents of the youth expressed their heartfelt gratitude to those participating in the wedding. Noting that their family's happiness is closely linked with Turkmen horses, they wished the youth to find happiness in their chosen profession. This became an expression of how Turkmen weddings are combined with noble traditions. Subsequently, the joy and excitement of the wedding celebrations reached new heights. Global Promotion of Equestrian Art The solemn meeting then continued with speeches regarding the festive events to be held in the year of "Independence, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan — the Land of Horse-Swift Attained Dreams" dedicated to the famous Akhal-Teke horses, horse breeding, and the art of horse training. The speeches noted that large-scale events have been launched throughout this year to widely praise the Akhal-Teke horses born from the dedication of Turkmen horse trainers and to promote them in the international arena. In particular, teams of athletes engaged in equestrian sports participate in international festivals, conferences, and beauty contests held in our country and abroad, demonstrating their mastery. During his visits to the United States of America, the People's Republic of China, Great Britain, and the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation, our Hero Arkadag held consultations with horse breeders and experts of those countries on issues related to equestrian art. This is a clear manifestation of the great attention paid by our National Leader at every moment to the development of national equestrian sports. The speeches drew attention to the fact that our Hero Arkadag watched equestrian sports performances organized within the grounds of Windsor Castle by the British Royal Family, and also met with King Charles III to discuss issues related to developing relations between the two countries in the field of horse breeding. At the same time, it is necessary to note that the "Galkynyş" National Equestrian Games Group takes part in international competitions held worldwide and wins prize places, and they demonstrated the uniqueness of Turkmen national equestrian art in Azerbaijan and Turkey. Turkmen riders also performed successfully in equestrian sports competitions organized in Kazan, winning a prize-winning place. During the speeches made at the solemn meeting, it was noted that the cultural and art workers of our country apply a comprehensive approach to praising the legendary Akhal-Teke horses and creating works of art related to national horse-training principles. This is a clear result of their efforts to popularize the national value that the Turkmen people have given to the world in the international arena. Throughout history, Akhal-Teke horses have run like a golden thread through the poems of poets and the songs of bagshis (folk singers). The traditions of creating the artistic image of horses, which form a connection between different eras and generations, are being successfully continued today. The universal love and pride of the Turkmen people for horses find expression in works of art. Musical Tributes and Modern Infrastructure In the musical performances filled with high spirits, a special place was given to praising the horse. Widely popularizing the huge contribution made by our glorious ancestors to world culture is one of the important tasks facing masters of art. In this regard, during the days filled with the 35th anniversary of our sacred Independence, works of art praising Akhal-Teke horses complement the festive events. The beautiful voices of the art masters echoed as a hymn to the beauty of the horses, the great deeds carried out by our Hero Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar in this field, and the happy life of our people. In the modern era, the global fame of the heavenly horses, which embody a wonderful example of beauty and speed and have become the national pride of the Turkmen people, is rising to great heights. In this context, increasing the number of purebred Akhal-Teke horses and creating the necessary opportunities for developing horse breeding and equestrian sports in our country has become an issue of state importance. The Aba Annaýew International Academy of Equestrianism, the Görogly State Equestrian Circus, and the Equestrian Scientific-Production Center operate in Arkadag city, which was founded based on the initiative of our Hero Arkadag. This opens up a wide path for studying national horse-breeding traditions on a scientific basis and mastering the advanced experience of the world in the relevant field. Providing all sectors with perfect specialists was identified among the urgent tasks of the era. Here, importance is given at the state level to developing international cooperation and deeply studying the achievements of modern science. This also gives a powerful impetus to the advancement of national horse-breeding traditions and all types of equestrian sports. As is known from historical data, glorious Turkmen horses achieved high results in various types of equestrian sports, writing wonderful pages into the history of world horse breeding. Examples include Arap, Absent, Polatly, Garlawaç, Arap II, and the horse named Tarlaň, which won the 500-kilometer long-distance race. In this regard, it was noted that crucial importance is attached to the organizational level of the events to be held on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of our sacred Independence, a glorious date of the year "Independence, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan — the Land of Horse-Swift Attained Dreams." This will ensure that the celebrations are organized in a manner worthy of the spirit of the modern era. Books by our Hero Arkadag such as "The Akhal-Teke Horse — Our Pride and Glory," "The Horse with a Swift Pace," and "There is Loyalty and Pleasure in a Horse," as well as his other works, are recognized as significant values in widely promoting national horse-training traditions in the world and instilling them in the minds of the younger generation. Conclusion of the Solemnity In the speeches made regarding the solemn events to be held to praise our winged horses, the national culture, and the traditions of the Turkmen people, it was emphasized that today, thanks to the efforts of our Hero Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar, all necessary conditions are being created for developing our national culture, art, and literature. Along with relevant structures, improving the work of the mass media is important in widely promoting the creative potential of our Motherland. Here, attention was drawn to the deep meaning behind the words of our Hero Arkadag: "Love for horses is one of the proud pages of Turkmen culture." Today, our country is recognized as a center where international-level cultural events, conferences, exhibitions, and film festivals are regularly held. This opens up a wide path for raising the international prestige of Independent, Everlasting Neutrality of Turkmenistan. Cultural and art workers, who make a worthy contribution to enriching the spiritual world of our people, pay close attention to holding the grand celebrations at a high organizational level and properly preparing the cultural program of the events. During the ceremony, the significance of showing the video recording of historical moments of the National Holiday of the Turkmen Horse was noted. The historical destiny and life of our people have always been connected with horses. There is a deep meaning in the continuation of such noble principles through the dedication of the generations of the happy era. Traditions related to Akhal-Teke horses and the national art of horse training are supreme values contributed by our people to world culture. This opens up a wide path for the prestige and glory of the Turkmen people, who show special dedication to their work and profession, to be celebrated in the global arena. Treasures found from Jeýtun, Änew, Altyndepe, Nisa, Margiana, and other historical monuments reveal that the history of Akhal-Teke horses stretches back over millennia. In connection with this, the cultural and art workers of our country currently work without sparing their talent and skills to sing the praises of Akhal-Teke horses. Subsequently, the solemn meeting held at the Mukamlar Palace of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan continued with musical performances by masters of art. The passionate performances of famous pop stars and folk musicians (bagshy-sazandalar) added a unique festive color to the celebration. In the performances of the cultural and art masters, who are making the necessary efforts to worthily welcome the 35th anniversary of our sacred Independence and creating new works, the great deeds implemented in our country and the praise of the national values given by the Turkmen people to the world found their expression. The sounding of the song "Forward, forward, only forward, my dear Motherland, Turkmenistan!" written by our Hero Arkadag, performed jointly by the artists, folk musicians, and young performers, became the magnificent conclusion of the solemn event. Source: State News Agency of Turkmenistan