Recently, a scientific conference dedicated to the popularization of the heritage of Abu Said Abul Khayr, popularly known as Myane Baba, was held in Turkmenistan. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan.

At the opening of the conference, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, specialized institutions, mass media, as well as the scientific intelligentsia of Turkmenistan and Iran participated in the State Museum of the State Cultural Center. There was also an exhibition dedicated to the scientist Myana Baba.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Turkmenistan Ali Mojtaba Ruzbekhani made a welcoming speech at the conference, who emphasized its importance in intensifying bilateral humanitarian dialogue destined to strengthen the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between Turkmenistan and Iran.

The experts who spoke later noted that the great classic of Turkmen literature Magtymguly Fragi, while studying the work of Myane Baba, put him on a par with such famous poets of the East as Omar Khayyam, Hemedani, Nizami and Rumi. They also emphasized the historical and cultural significance of the existing mausoleum and archaeological finds, the importance of a multifaceted study of the work of Sheikh Abu Said.

In their reports, Iranian scientists paid special attention to the issues of perpetuating the outstanding achievements of celebrities, including Myane Baba, at the international level.

The foreign guests were greatly impressed by the cultural program, which included an excursion to the Nisa historical and cultural reserve.

The second day of the conference, the participants continued their work in Kaahka etrap of Akhal velayat. Here experts also spoke about Myane Baba’s mentors. The importance of the state policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, aimed at preserving and in-depth study of the unique historical and cultural heritage and original traditions of the Turkmen people, was also noted. The conference participants toured the Myane Baba architectural complex with great pleasure.

The monumental mausoleum formed a single complex. All researchers of this architectural monument are unanimous in their views that it was built almost a thousand years ago. The timely implementation of the “Preservation of the Mausoleum of Abu Said Abul Khayr” Project made it possible to save a unique monument of medieval Turkmen architecture from destruction. Fortification and restoration measures not only preserved it, but also shed light on previously unknown details of its interior design.

In particular, fragments of a tiled panel made of luster tiles in the shape of an eight-pointed star and a cross were discovered. Tiles of this type, widely known as “Kashan” tiles, are in the collections of major museums in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and other world capitals. They are a subject of particular interest for many specialists interested in the art of the Muslim East.

Thanks to the state policy of the country’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in independent neutral Turkmenistan, in the era of the Revival of a new epoch of a powerful state, effective measures are being taken to improve the sphere of national culture, thoroughly study, protect and popularize national heritage in the world, as well as to carefully preserve historical and cultural objects. A number of adopted laws evidences this. Thus, the Law “On the Protection of Objects of National Historical and Cultural Heritage” ensures the right of the people to preserve and develop their identity, traditions and customs, and reliable protection of sources of information about the origin and development of culture.

Our country – a country with a rich, centuries-old national heritage and modern achievements, having become the center of broad cultural interaction in the region, is actively implementing a policy of popularizing its original historical and cultural heritage and art. The current conference greatly facilitates the popularization of the legacy of Abu Said Abul Khayr.