Ï SYMBOLIZING UNVARYING COMMITMENT OF OUR MOTHERLAND TO THE IDEALS OF PEACE, CREATION AND KINDNESS
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SYMBOLIZING UNVARYING COMMITMENT OF OUR MOTHERLAND TO THE IDEALS OF PEACE, CREATION AND KINDNESS

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Independent neutral Turkmenistan widely and solemnly celebrated one of the remarkable dates in the national calendar, the Neutrality Day on December 12. The festivities were held throughout the country, and the main celebrations took place in the capital. There the ceremony of inaugurating the Neutrality Monument – a symbol of the unvarying commitment of our Motherland, the Turkmen people to the ideals of peace, creation and kindness was held with participation of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The date of December 12, which is of particular significance for our Motherland, is forever inscribed in golden letters in the glorious history of the Turkmen people. On this day sixteen years ago the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Resolution “Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan” – an unprecedented, unique document, the first one of this kind in the practice of the Community of Nations. This historic event is an undeniable fact of the international support for the peace-loving foreign policy of Turkmenistan that is now one of the recognized peacekeeping centres of the Asian region and the world. The Neutrality Monument built in the south of Ashgabat is to perpetuate it in the memory of generations.

The cabinet ministers, the Chairperson of the Mejlis, the Ashgabat Khyakim, the high-ranking officials of military and law enforcement agencies, ministries and departments, the public organisations of the Galkynys National Movement and journalists gathered together at the magnificent monument towering in the picturesque backdrop of the Kopetdag Mountains in the morning. Among ceremony participants were the heads of diplomatic representations and missions accredited to Turkmenistan, Turkmen ambassadors to foreign states and foreign guests. The elders and young citizens of Turkmenistan participated in the ceremony.

Ceremony participants greeted with great enthusiasm President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov – the author of a innovative and forward-looking policy and constructive international initiatives which had facilitated Turkmenistan’s advancement in the epoch of great reforms and won our country the high prestige in the world arena. This constructive strategy based on the status of permanent neutrality and the age-old principles of peace, good neighbourliness and humanism inherent in our nation serves as a reliable guarantor of the wellbeing of the Motherland, a happy and prosperous life of Turkmen people and determines the success of the foreign policy activities of our country that declared the strategy for wide broad positive international cooperation in the interests of all mankind.

Girls dressed in bright national costumes presented beautiful bouquets of flowers to the Turkmen leader. The President of Turkmenistan warmly greeted ceremony participants.

A bright theatrical and musical performance dedicated to the remarkable date was presented on the square in front of the Neutrality Monument. In their inspired performances artists and cultural workers glorified the independent neutral Motherland that moves forward with confidence under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov confidently to new heights progress, unbreakable unity and solidarity of the Turkmen people, peace and cohesion prevailing in the homeland.

Then the ceremony of laying flowers to the monument took place.

The national anthem of Turkmenistan was taken up by many voices of ceremony participants. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov laid a gorgeous wreath to the Neutrality Monument in a solemn atmosphere.

Following the Turkmen leader, the cabinet ministers, the Chairperson of the Mejlis and other participants laid flowers to the monument.

The Neutrality Monument rising in one of the most picturesque parts of the Turkmen capital is some kind of evidence for the firmness of peaceful foundations and constructive principles of the Turkmen state and lofty humanistic values of the nation bequeathed by our glorious ancestors. The elements of the age-old national art of building are harmoniously combined with the modern architectural trends and engineering thought in its design.

The historic date of December 12, 1995 is symbolically reflected in the parameters of the monument. The height of the Neutrality Monument is 95 metres, including the 12-metre sculpture of the first President of Turkmenistan S. Niyazov set on its top.

The flagpoles with the flags of UN Member States are set around the Neutrality Monument. There are cascade foundations, decorative arbours and several cafes in the adjacent territory of the park area.

The museum of neutrality composed of three halls is inside the monumental construction. Its exposition tells about the constructive domestic and foreign policy of our country and landmark events of the epoch of new Revival.

The museum exposition illustrates the incontestable fact that today Turkmen neutrality is viewed as an indispensable instrument for ensuring security and stability in the region and contributes to strengthening peace on a global scale and developing a positive dialogue to build up mutually beneficial international cooperation for the benefit of all mankind. Another evidence for this were received during the international conference dedicated to the 16th anniversary of the status of neutrality of Turkmenistan which was held on the eve of the Neutrality Day in Ashgabat. Forum participants noted that Turkmenistan that had acquired the reputation of being a universally recognized country-peacemaker demonstrated qualitatively new approaches to addressing urgent problems and challenges of modern times and met the commitments undertaken. The independent neutral Turkmen state can be rightfully proud of making a worthy contribution to the international efforts to ensure global peace and cohesion through effective collaboration.

Turkmenistan guided by the status of neutrality actively enhances partnerships with the UN and other authoritative international organisations. Friendly relations and fruitful cooperation of Turkmenistan with many countries of the world, testify to an unquestionable success and the correctness of the foreign policy strategy pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and the geography of this cooperation is continuously extended and filled with a new content in the political, economic, humanitarian and cultural spheres.

Seeking to fully implement its peacekeeping and constructive potential, Turkmenistan puts forward effective initiatives and proposals for the benefit of peoples of the region and the planet from the rostrum of the United Nations. Speaking at the sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly, the national leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put forward a number of initiatives illustrating the intention of our country to consistently promote the regional and global sustainable development processes, the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the development of the formation of an effective model of multilateral cooperation to address priority international issues. And the fact that these proposals have found support from the Community of nations is another bright evidence for the increasing international prestige of Turkmenistan and worldwide recognition of the strategy of positive neutrality of our country.

After the ceremony was concluded, the President of Turkmenistan cordially bade farewell to those present and left the ceremony venue.

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On that day popular artists, cultural workers and artistic ensembles from all over the country performed a big concert at the Neutrality Monument to mark the national holiday. The finale of the Neutrality day celebrations in the Turkmen capital was the colourful fireworks which illuminated the sky above Ashgabat with myriads of sparkling constellations.