BETH – Riyadh | Tuesday, June 24, 2025

The Center for Research and Knowledge Communication in Riyadh held a scholarly event to celebrate the book "Makhtum Qoli", authored by His Excellency President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan. The event brought together a distinguished group of academics and researchers specializing in the literature and culture of Central Asia.

🔹 A Turkmen Cultural Icon

The event began with an introductory presentation on Makhtum Qoli, the renowned Turkmen poet and thinker, widely regarded as a pillar of the nation's cultural memory. His legacy is preserved through numerous academic institutions and cultural bodies bearing his name.

🔹 Dialogue and Intellectual Exchange

The session featured contributions from both Saudi and Turkmen participants, highlighting the intellectual value of the book and Makhtum Qoli’s pivotal role in shaping Turkmen national consciousness.
Described as a sage who blended religious and worldly knowledge, his poetry resonates with the depth and influence of Abbasid-era poets, both in form and message.

🔹 Bridges of Scholarship

In his remarks, Dr. Yahya Mahmoud bin Junaid, Chairman of the Center, emphasized the importance of strengthening academic exchange between the two countries. He expressed the Center’s readiness to cooperate in cataloging Arabic manuscripts housed in Turkmenistan and to support academic collaboration between scholars from both nations.

Dr. Hussein al-Hussein added that Makhtum Qoli’s status parallels that of iconic Arabic poets such as al-Mutanabbi, al-Ma'arri, and Abu Tammam, citing the universal human themes in his writings that transcend time and place.

🔹 Distinguished Attendance

From the Turkmen side, the event was attended by:

Dr. Allahberdi Ashirov – President of the Academy of Sciences

Ambassador Ozar Mohammad Cherov – Turkmen Ambassador to the Kingdom

Dr. Dawood Ozar – Director of the Makhtum Qoli Institute

Mr. Kakajan Janbikov – Researcher at the same institute

The Saudi delegation included scholars and staff from the Center, who engaged in a dynamic and scholarly atmosphere that reinforced the role of literature as a bridge for cultural understanding among nations.

🧠 BETH – Symbolic Reflection

When a Saudi center honors a book by a head of state… culture transforms into a diplomatic message—spoken in a language deeper than politics.