A special presentation of the book “Makhtumkuli – The Poet Whose Name Became Legend”, authored by Soner Sağlam and Rahim Mämmet Köreňow, took place at the TURKSOY headquarters in Ankara.
The event was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Turkmenistan, the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the “EkoAvrasya” Foundation, and the Association for Cooperation of Turkic World Civil Society. The publication marks the 300th anniversary of Turkmen poet Makhtumkuli Fragi.
In his opening remarks, TURKSOY Deputy Secretary-General Sait Yusuf, speaking on behalf of Secretary-General Sultan Raev, emphasized the importance of Makhtumkuli’s legacy. He highlighted TURKSOY’s efforts to celebrate Makhtumkuli and Anau, the cultural capital of the Turkic World for 2024, which has also been declared the “Year of Makhtumkuli.”
“The World Must Know Makhtumkuli”
Yusuf stressed that Makhtumkuli’s universal ideas deserve global recognition. “TURKSOY exists for such initiatives because the cultural and civilizational heart of the Turkic World beats here,” he stated. He expressed gratitude to the book’s authors and Hikmet Eren, Chairman of the EkoAvrasya Foundation.
In his speech, Hikmet Eren congratulated TURKSOY for fostering cultural ties with Turkmenistan, a nation with shared history, language, and culture. He also extended thanks to Sultan Raev and Sait Yusuf for their support in promoting the poet’s legacy.