On October 10, the city of Arkadag will turn into a “little Vienna” for one evening. The reason for this will be the grand VI Vienna Ball, which promises to become a bright symbol of the growing cultural cooperation between Austria and Turkmenistan.

The organizers of this large-scale event are the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan together with the Austrian-Turkmen Society, which has been headed for 16 years by Neda Berger, who is also the editor-in-chief of the Turkmen-Austrian magazine “Galkynysh”.

In an interview with Turkmenportal, Neda Berger shared details about the upcoming event. She emphasized the historical significance of the Viennese balls, which have a 500-year history and are held in the largest cities of the world. “It is wonderful that Arkadag occupies an honorable place among these cities”, - Berger noted. “Vienna Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig noted that one of the most significant Viennese balls in the world is the ball in Arkadag. I congratulate Turkmenistan on this achievement”.

A special feature of the VI Vienna Ball will be the participation of the world-famous opera singer Konstantin Rittel-Kobylyansky together with his concertmaster and accompanist, pianist Ela Pasik. In addition, for the first time in the history of the event, the conductor will be a Turkmen conductor – Honored Artist of Turkmenistan, Chief Conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of Turkmenistan of the Palace of Mukams of the State Cultural Center Rasul Klychev. “This fusion of the talents of Konstantin and Rasul will be a unique feature of the ball”, - Berger emphasized.

“It is important to note that the event is being held under the patronage of Hero Arkadag and with the support of the Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Ludwig”, - added the head of the Austrian-Turkmen Society.

The guests of this creative forum will be delegates of the festive celebrations dedicated to the Day of Healthcare and Medical Industry Workers, as well as participants of the international forum “Interconnection of Times and Civilizations - the Basis of Peace and Development”. A special feature of the ball is the participation of an honorary delegation from Vienna, including directors of large Austrian companies and members of the Austrian-Turkmen Society.

Neda Berger expressed gratitude to all those involved in organizing the ball, including the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and sponsors – construction companies from Turkmenistan and Türkiye. According to her, Batyr Taganov, a member of the board of the Society from Turkmenistan, plays a special role in preparing the event, providing day-to-day support in organizational matters.

Berger stressed the importance of cultural diplomacy in the context of the ball: “Culture and music do not need translators, they are understandable to everyone and contribute to the consolidation of ties between Turkmenistan and Austria”. She also noted that the ball reflects the principles of the policy successfully implemented by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

“It should be emphasized that this year's Vienna Ball also marks the 300th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet Magtymguly, who called for peace and national unity. This once again underlines the deep cultural significance of the event”.

Looking to the future, Neda Berger noted that next year Turkmenistan will celebrate 30 years of its permanent neutrality, and Austria will celebrate 70 years of neutrality. In this regard, she put forward an initiative to create the House of Austria in Ashgabat, which will unite various areas of cooperation: culture, diplomacy, politics, economics, construction, medicine and much more. “This is a wonderful idea for two neutral countries”, - Berger emphasized.

“In Turkmenistan, great attention is paid to Austrian culture, and I thank the leadership of Turkmenistan for holding the sixth Vienna Ball. Each time we bring something new, and this year the participation of Konstantin Rittel-Kobylyansky will be a special part of the event”, - concluded Neda Berger.

The VI Vienna Ball in Arkadag promises to be not just a cultural event, but also an important step in strengthening friendly relations between Austria and Turkmenistan, demonstrating how art and culture can unite peoples and countries.