TURKMEN CARPET HOLIDAY CELEBRATED IN KYIV

The Turkmen carpet holiday was celebrated in the Ukrainian capital with a cultural event and art exhibition at the Library named Magtymguly in Kyiv.

On May 25, 2025, several holidays are widely and solemnly celebrated in Turkmenistan: Ashgabat city Day, which turned 144 years old, and Turkmen carpet holiday.

A week before the holiday, an exhibition of young artists of the creative association "Mystetstvoznavtsi" (Art historians) of the Center for Extracurricular Activities of the Svyatoshynsky District of Kyiv, entitled "Silver Skullcap" based on Turkmen folk tales, opened in the large hall of the Kyiv Library named Magtymguly. Children aged 7 to 15 illustrated the amazing world of Turkmen fairy tales and their characters, conveyed the beauty of the landscapes of the hospitable Turkmen land.

The final of the exhibition was held as part of a cultural and artistic event in honor of the Turkmen carpet holiday, which took place on May 25 in the building of the Library named Magtymguly under the title "Culture and Life of the Turkmen. Carpet Weaving". The event was attended by employees of the Embassy of Turkmenistan, young artists and their parents, children's writers, librarians, representatives of Turkmen students and the Turkmen diaspora.

The participants were addressed by diplomatic staff of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Ukraine and told about the history of Turkmen carpet weaving, the traditions of celebrating Turkmen carpet Day, the skill of female carpet weavers who have mastered the secrets of the ancient craft, modern carpet weaving industries, the popularity of exquisite Turkmen carpets and national carpet weaving in the world, included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

The diplomats noted that both respect for national traditions and maintaining friendly relations with peoples and exchanging cultural experiences are part of our culture and mentality, which is especially important to emphasize in the International Year of Peace and Trust and in the framework of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's Neutrality. Elements of the rich cultural heritage of the friendly Ukrainian people, as the diplomats noted, are also an integral part of the world cultural heritage and are included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

During the event, an audio project of the Turkmen folk tale "Two Mergens " in Ukrainian, voiced by children's writer Galyna Dzhemula, was presented, contributing to the popularization of the Turkmen folklore genre.

The importance of developing cultural, humanitarian and educational cooperation and exchange through the presentation of the cultural heritage of friendly nations was discussed in the speeches of the acting director of the Library named Magtymguly Ms Yulia Lopata, the head of the " Mystetstvoznavtsi " organization Ms Yulia Apanasenko and other participants.

As part of the Turkmen carpet holiday, a thematic photo exhibition was held, a video story about Turkmen carpets, carpet weaving and the celebration of the day at the National Museum of Turkmen Carpet was presented, as well as a traditional excursion to the Magtymguly Museum room and an introduction to exhibits of decorative and applied art of Turkmenistan and Turkmen book products.

In a ceremonial atmosphere, diplomatic staff recognized the efforts of the young artists and their leader, awarding the exhibition participants with certificates of honor and national souvenirs.

The Turkmen carpet holiday is a day of unity and friendship, pride in one’s own culture.