The Dashoguz velayat of Turkmenistan successfully hosted the festival “Dünýäde ýaňlanýar ajap dessanym, toý tutýar Garaşsyz Türkmenistanym” with the participation of bagshy-destanchi (folk musicians and storytellers).

The festival opened on March 26 at the Nurmuhammet Andalib State Musical and Drama Theater. It was attended by cultural leaders and staff from all regions of the country, representatives of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, performing artists, and art historians.

Over the course of two days, the festival featured creative meetings, master classes on bagshy performance, and concerts. Virtuoso bagshy-destanchi performers, who came from all over the country, not only demonstrated their art to the public but also exchanged experiences with one another, met with young people, and shared the secrets of their craft.

The scientific and practical conference "Dessançy bagşylar joşa gelende" (The Dessançy bagşylar joşa gelende) featured presentations on the development of the art of bagshy and destan performance, as well as the enrichment of performance traditions in the modern era. It was emphasized that bagshy are masters who, through the harmony of words and music, pave the way to the hearts of the people. Bakhshis, like the performing art itself and the national musical instruments – the dutar and gijak – are timeless and remain, as ever, a valuable heritage of the Turkmen people.

Festival participants visited historical sites in the Dashoguz velayat associated with the art of bagshy. These included the monument to Ashyk Aydin Pir, often mentioned in folklore, and the Bagshy Museum in Dashoguz.

On the final day of the festival, master classes by destan performers and young musicians were held at the Magtymguly Garliev Special Art School in Dashoguz.

A musical and creative meeting was also held, dedicated to the creative path of famous folk storytellers and musicians Nazar baganyň, Magtymguly Garliev, Ore shikha, Palty bagshy, Bayar bagshy, Ilaman Annaev, Akjagul Myradova, Tuyli Otuzov, Hojimaryt Oraev, Bala Myatgeldiev, Kakabay Nazarov and others.

At the festival's closing ceremony, folk storytellers and musicians who participated in the festival were presented with diplomas and commemorative gifts from the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, the Secretariat of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, and the Central Council of the Magtymguly Youth Organization of Turkmenistan.