Turkmen nationals welcomed the National holiday of spring – International Day of Nowruz with colourful events in the atmosphere of special inspiration and joy with the most kind hopes and bright intentions. Colourful folklore and ethnographic performances, bright costumes, songs and dances that have come down from the depth of centuries highlighted a deep symbol of this event in honour of awakening of nature and renewal of life.

As President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov underlined in his festive message to people, «This holiday, which has firmly entered the life of not only Turkmens, but also all peoples of the East, has become a triumph of peace, humanism, friendship and brotherhood. As a symbol of revival, flowering and renewal, Nowruz unites people by bringing them together and developing trusted relations. Good neighbourhood, mutually beneficial relations, trust in each other are basic principles of Nowruz».

The holiday of Nowruz, included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, included in itself high spiritual and moral values and unique traditions of many peoples, including those of Turkmens. It serves a wonderful example of a thousand-year-old synthesis of cultures in which age-old customs and family traditions mix with them music heritage, modern art and develop into the amazing national joy.

Main events of this day took place in the capital on the bank of the Garagum River where an improvised settlement, which displayed mainly details of Turkmen traditional mode of life with colourful customs, demonstrated its majestic view.

Here behind symbolic gates a large Turkmen settlement built with yurts, trestle beds and coaching inns with domestic animals, smoking cauldrons harmonically blended with the eastern market with its brightly coloured market stalls, lively touts and actors who cheer people, appeared.

The pompous and joyful Turkmen toy in honour of Nowruz began to sound with elating melodies and shined with colourful rainbows of spring.

At the main entrance to the festive ground guests of solemnity –honoured elders, children first welcome representatives of various working collectives, numerous residents of Ashgabat and guests of the capital –they inspiringly read poems devoted to Nowruz.

Nowruz is not just welcoming spring and a symbol of solemnity marking the awakening of nature. It is a herald of peace, good neighbourhood and friendship and mutual understanding between peoples. It is for this reason that it is one of the significant and valued holidays of humanity, which since 2010 has been marked as International Day of Nowruz.

The topic of the large fancy-dress performance of narration became science and pages of its history. Actors of theatres played characters of outstanding scholars of the East who made a great contribution the development of philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and others.

Participants of the event are welcomed by stirring music and dances of creative groups, soloists and folklore ensembles. Children meet honoured guests with cheerful poems and joyful songs.

Here one can also see how wheat is grown for a traditional green composition, how unique meal semeni and other national meals are cooked and test the Turkmen chorek taken out from the oven freshly.

Here participants also could take an opportunity to learn secrets of preparation of such milk products as chal, gatyk, suzma, ayran and others and try to span wool, to make reed mats and make your contribution to making felt and sit at the weaving loom.

The attributes of rural life were supplemented with decorations imitating sheepyards and pastures and a stirring dance of shepherds.

Here visitors see in special pens the domestic cattle. Proud and strong guards – alabays, training of which is an inseparable part of traditional culture of Turkmens and develop today, attract the attention of guests especially.

In the exhibition section of the settlement – an agricultural exposition which displays rich national traditions of land cultivation and crops of the native land. Everywhere one can see germination of wheat –one of the main attribute of the holiday.

Nowruz, which glorify the awakening of earth, renewal of nature, included in itself from time immemorial emergence of all forms and types of national creativity, spiritual and cultural values of many generations of our ancestors. All this crystalized in the unique complex of traditions and customs, which were demonstrated by participants of the present holiday in their performances.

The field camp where methods of irrigation of gardens and fields were displayed, also attracted the attention of guests. Young men regulated the work of large and small wheels of the jykyr, an old water lifting equipment with scoops fixed to them. Irrigation of fields, gardens, vineyards and gourds was carried out by this way in the olden days. To the accompaniment of music main methods of agricultural work –sowing and irrigation were demonstrated.

Against the background of hothouses, an exhibition of various agricultural goods of local producers, saplings, live flowers, which have become an embodiment of beauty, fertility, and fragrance of Turkmen gardens, piedmont meadows and riverside plains, was organized. Indeed, Nowruz opens a new season in agriculture.

Essential participants of all festive events of Turkmens – skilled horsemen on wonderful racehorses. So, the «Galkynysh» national equestrian games group – holder of many international circus festivals showed its program as a festive gift for visitors.

And again, bold Turkmen horsemen on wonderful race horses to the accompaniment of music displayed their unique skill presenting spectators with many bright impression and joy. The majestic posture and excitement of equestrians correspond kingly stature and hot speed of unmatched beauty, agility, and grace of Akhal-teke horses.

The art of Turkmen needlework is a shining top of the large world of national crafts. Next to yurts installed there, one could see women and popular actors that created wonderful works to the accompaniment of music.

The exhibition of carpets, textile goods and works of decorative and applied art was a visual illustration of the literary and musical composition.

Old melodies performed by the bagshy and numerous spectators who gathered to listen to them, served a wonderful background for the improvised action. Here poplar melodies were played, famous musicians and variety singers and dance groups performed.

And the youth meanwhile played national games and pastime with joyous sings and cheerful humorous catchphrases. Acrobats, darwaz, actors of the circus displayed their fine skill evoking true delight in spectators.

In the gallery of national traditions of holiday – «Nowruz cuisine», where abundance tablecloths with viands, fruits, and dishes of national cuisine freshly cooked there by the best cooks, masters of art of cookery were unfolded.

Vibrant voices came from tall swings decorated with colourful garlands and surrounded with the youth. This is a traditional ritual which enables to purify spiritually enter the new year with new force, clean heart and bright intentions.

The performance of singers and musicians added the unique colours to the holiday where the old music and songs mixed with variety rhythms of present day. And the performance was crowned with the general dance kushtdepdi which demonstrated rotation of life and sun bring life and light.

This creative event devoted to Nowruz enabled once again to make sure that old traditions today assume a new life and our heritage keeps live link with modern generations.

Ages and millenniums pass, but the role of this holiday, which passes through ages, still has a great significance in the life of Turkmen people. Remaining as an unfading pearl it continues to bring joy to us calling with its entire live essence to friendship, brotherhood, unity and new heights.

Today, festive concerts and cultural events were held in administration centres of regions of the country.

The holiday of Nowruz, which takes its origin from the deep life philosophic views and takes a significant place in the system of spiritual values of Turkmen people, is enriched with new content in the new epoch.

Having become a symbolic embodiment of inspiration, labour enthusiasm of modern society, it encourages us to more great heights of development, strengthening the feeling of pride and admiration for our flourishing fatherland and for the happy present and bright future in our hearts.

It is not only an economic growth, but also a social progress, social and political development, cultural and spiritual enrichment. Today's events in honour of Nowruz, which will continue on March 22, served a wonderful reflection of all this.