Meridian Partners with Chevron and The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History to Host Celebration of Turkmenistan’s Rich Cultural Heritage

On December 3rd, 2013, Meridian International Center, in partnership with Chevron and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, hosted a celebration of Turkmen Culture Days and the country’s 22nd anniversary of independence. The main highlight of the celebration was the opening of a special two-day exhibition, Turkmenistan: Arts from the Land of Magtymguly, which featured traditional textiles, arts and crafts, and jewellery from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Main National Museum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The title of the exhibition pays homage to the famous poet and national hero of Turkmenistan, Magtymguly Pyragy, who made significant efforts to secure independence and autonomy for his people in the 18th century.

The Celebration, which was attended by the several senior diplomats and U.S. government officials, featured remarks by Minister Guncha Mammedova, Turkmen Minister of Culture; Ambassador Meret Bairamovich Orazov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the United States; Lynne Tracy, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Hector Fajardo, President, Chevron Nebitgaz B.V.; and Ambassador Stuart Holliday, Meridian’s President and CEO.

Turkmen culture days in the U.S. is a good-will cultural exchange between the U.S. and Turkmenistan governments which was initiated in 2011. The events during the culture days provides an opportunity for both the United States and Turkmenistan to showcase, and to gain better understanding of each other’s rich historic and cultural heritage.