President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov takes part in the Memorial Day ceremonies

On January 12, the people of Turkmenistan commemorated Hatyra guni – Memorial Day. In the regions throughout the country, in the towns and settlements of Turkmenistan the flags were lowered, the prayers for the peace of the souls of the glorious defenders of the Geokdepe Fortress, the heroic compatriots, who had sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence of the Motherland, were offered up to Almighty in the mosques throughout the country.

By tradition, the public prayer was held at the Geokdepe Mosque, which was built on the place, where our courageous compatriots had risen in arms 127 years ago to defend the right to live free in their land and follow the ancestors’ traditions and customs.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov took part in the ceremony of commemorating the best sons and daughters of the Motherland, who had glorified the native land with their unparalleled feat.

In the early morning hundreds of people gathered at the magnificent mosque built in the best traditions of Islamic architecture. The participants of the ceremony – the cabinet ministers, the high-ranking officials of the Mejlis, the clergy, the elders, the heads and members of the large public organisations, the diplomatic emissions accredited to Turkmenistan, the journalists, the people of Geokdepe and the neighbouring settlements, the people from all over Turkmenistan.

The Turkmen leader greeted those present.

The artists of the Main Drama Theatre of Turkmenistan dressed in the national costumes of those remote times greeted the Turkmen leader and the participants of the ceremony at the magnificent building of the spiritual temple. The artists presented the performance reproducing the events of the heroic past and the images of the courageous defenders of the Geokdepe Fortress.

Then Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov talked to the elders asking about their problems and concerns.

Greeting everyone, who had come to the Geokdepe Mosque to revere the memory of the fallen heroes and to take part in the commemoration rite, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov noted the special significance of that day commemorated in independent Turkmenistan as Memorial Day. The President said that the people all over Turkmenistan were commemorating and offering the prayers up to Almighty for peace of the souls of the heroic defenders of the Geokdepe Fortress, all those, who had sacrificed their lives for freedom of the Motherland, the wellbeing of the native land, on that day.

Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said that the Turkmen land was soaked with the blood of our glorious ancestors, who demonstrating courage and heroism had struggled for freedom and independence of the Motherland, for our bright future. Hundreds of our compatriots, whom we grieved about and remembered, had died a hero’s death defending the native land 127 years ago. The world knew about the heroic defenders of the Geokdepe Fortress including women, children and old men, most of who had died in an unequal battle, many works were written about their feat of arms and unparallel courage.

Addressing the compatriots the Turkmen leader said that the heroes of the Geokdepe Battle were immortal in the grateful descendants’ memory, they were a paragon of genuine patriotism for the present generation of the Turkmen people, especially the youth. Let those tragic events never occur in our history. Let peace, unity and prosperity reign in the Turkmen land forever. Let our prayers and sacrifices be accepted by Almighty.

Then the public prayer was offered up and the dinner was given. The participants of the ceremony offered up the inspired prayers in memory of the victims of the Geokdepe Battle and all those, who had sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence of the Motherland, for peace and unity, wellbeing and prosperity of the native land.

Upon concluding the ceremony the Turkmen leader wished those present all the best. Then the Turkmen leader talked to the elders. Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said that the museum on the history of the Geokdepe Battle and a 1,000-seat premises for holding the public prayers and repasts would built in the territory of the mosque.

The commemoration repasts and public prayers on occasion of Hatyra guni were held throughout Turkmenistan.